The Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism, Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar, has called for urgent efforts to rebuild trust and cooperation among West African states to prevent further regional fragmentation.
Speaking on Prime News on ABC News GH on Monday, he stressed that President John Dramani Mahama needs significant support to foster goodwill with regional partners, particularly those who have distanced themselves from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“The President needs much support to ensure there is goodwill built with those relations to ensure intelligence sharing and coordination,” he stated.
Muqthar warned that West Africa could face serious instability if countries fail to restore diplomatic and security cooperation.
“The entire region of West Africa risks disintegration if we fail to build goodwill and support from them or fail in getting them back to ECOWAS,” he cautioned.
However, he emphasized that reintegrating these nations into ECOWAS should not require them to abandon their alliances, particularly the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES).
“There could still be a mechanism that allows them to still be part of ECOWAS and benefit from its membership while also maintaining their own group,” he explained.
His comments follow President Mahama’s meeting with Burkina Faso’s interim leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, on Monday, March 10, 2025.
The discussions focused on regional relations, security threats, and economic cooperation. Mahama acknowledged Burkina Faso’s concerns about ECOWAS and pledged to present them at the next ECOWAS summit, signaling an attempt to rebuild regional unity.
Muqthar urged leaders to act swiftly, stating, “We just need to build goodwill and good faith at the moment to a point where it is possible to reengage and reestablish relations with them.”
