Nigerian Presidency: Mali's ECOWAS Exit Caused Regional Crisis

Nigeria's Presidency, through Special Adviser Sunday Dare, stated on Thursday in Abuja that the 2023 withdrawal of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) created a significant regional crisis, undermining integration protocols and leading to the formation of a counter-regional body. Speaking at a Policy Colloquium titled "Securing the sovereign frontiers," Dare explained that this rupture "blunted the ECOWAS protocol that promoted integration, free movement of goods and services" and challenged existing instruments for regional cooperation. He further noted that this development eventually led to the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a new regional bloc. Additionally, Dare addressed public discourse regarding Nigeria's borders, clarifying that they are open, contrary to some claims, and cautioned against politicizing issues of border stability and security, while emphasizing that open borders do not equate to uncontrolled borders.