ECOWAS Must Keep Its Door Open To Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso – Boakai Urges Regional Leaders

President of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, has urged West African leaders to maintain open lines of dialogue with Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, stressing that the door to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) must remain open to the countries that have exited the bloc.

Speaking on Saturday at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, Boakai called for engagement, reconciliation, and inclusive regional cooperation, especially with states that have “unfortunately” taken divergent paths.

“At the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority, Liberia called for renewed hands with member states who have taken divergent action.

“Today, I wish to echo that appeal: we must keep the door open for engagement and reconciliation, especially to our sister states that have unfortunately exited the community,” Boakai said.

In January 2025, ECOWAS formally acknowledged the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—now members of the Alliance of Sahel States—following tensions rooted in the 2023 Niger coup.

The Liberian leader also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to ECOWAS, particularly in areas of conflict prevention and regional mediation.

He said, “Peace and stability are the foundation upon which our economic aspirations must rest. Liberia remains fully committed to promoting productive sub-regional interactions, national cohesion, and democratic governance throughout the region.”

Boakai extended appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for convening the summit and praised what he described as a “visionary leadership” in hosting a platform aimed at reflection, coordination, and economic transformation across West Africa.

“Even after 50 years of extensive cooperation, the challenges we face are still present and complex—but they are not insurmountable.

“Our vision is to transform Liberia into a stable, transparent, and attractive destination for private sector investment within an inclusive environment. We are working closely with ECOWAS to harmonise policies, reduce trade barriers, and enhance competitiveness,” he said.

Boakai voiced strong support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a transformative tool for regional economic integration.

He also outlined Liberia’s priorities in sustainable agriculture, innovation, digital transformation, and infrastructure development to improve the quality of life for its citizens.

“Let us seize this opportunity to deepen our collaboration, mobilise resources, and transform the potential of our region for our people,” he added.

‘Pit-to-Port Dependency Must End’

Meanwhile, President Tinubu, who hosted the summit in his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, urged West African countries to end the long-standing trend of exporting raw minerals without local processing — a model he described as “pit-to-port” dependency.

“The era of warm pit to the port must end. We must turn our mineral wealth into domestic economic value, jobs, technology, and manufacturing. To be resource-rich is not enough — we must become value chain smart and invest in local processing and regional manufacturing,” Tinubu said.

The Nigerian leader stressed the importance of deeper integration, warning that intraregional trade remains under 10 per cent, a situation he blamed on a lack of coordination rather than political will.

“The global economy will not wait for West Africa to get its hands together — nor should we. We must move from declarations to concrete deals, from policy frameworks to practical implementation,” he said.

Tinubu also emphasised the need to invest in the region’s youthful population through education, digital infrastructure, and innovation, cautioning that failure to do so could turn a demographic advantage into a liability.

The WAES summit, held ahead of the 67th Ordinary Summit of ECOWAS, aimed to deepen regional economic integration and enhance trade and investment cooperation across West Africa.

Presidents from Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia, Benin Republic, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau participated in the summit.

Also present were ministers of finance, trade, infrastructure, and foreign affairs from ECOWAS member states, as well as representatives from regional institutions such as the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), and the AfCFTA Secretariat.

Private sector stakeholders, development partners, and policy experts also participated in the summit, which is expected to produce actionable outcomes that will fast-track the region’s integration agenda, seen as vital to long-term peace, stability, and shared prosperity.

Source: Channels