Ahmad 
The heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have taken the decision to lift part of the sanctions imposed on Niger in a bid to contain the wave of coups in Africa.
“ECOWAS “Commission Chairman Omar Aliu Touray said after the bloc’s meeting in the Nigerian capital Abuja that “sanctions will be lifted with immediate effect,” adding that borders and airspace would be reopened.
“The lifting of sanctions on Niger comes for purely humanitarian reasons to alleviate the suffering caused by this, and there are individual and political sanctions that are still in force,” Touray said.
“ECOWAS” imposed sanctions on Niger after the July coup against President Mohamed Bazoum, while they then formally recognized Niger’s ruling military council.
The sanctions have severely affected Niger, where more than 40 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty, according to the World Bank.
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States “ECOWAS”. The leaders of the said countries under the rule of military councils took their decision “in response to the expectations and aspirations of their peoples”. The three countries have been suffering for years from a deteriorating security situation and a large spread of armed and extremist groups and accuse “ECOWAS” of not helping them confront jihadists who have stepped up attacks in the region since 2012.
“ECOWAS” tried to stem the wave of coups and pressure for the return of civilians to power, imposing severe sanctions on Mali and Niger, going so far as to threaten the use of force against coup leaders, and suspending the participation of the three countries in their institutions.
After the military rulers of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed a mutual defense agreement, the fate of all these countries became the same, as all three of them are subject to sanctions by the “ECOWAS,” the African Union, and the United Nations, and are moving towards new alliances that have raised the fears of “ECOWAS”, which began to retreat from its positions towards the new regimes in the three countries.
Niger: La CEDEAO Lève les sanctions économiques, de fermeture des frontières, des vols commerciaux et de survol du pays avec effet immédiat…https://t.co/mTJkACWM6J
— Ecowas – Cedeao (@ecowas_cedeao) February 24, 2024