A Member of Parliament for ECOWAS from Ghana has stressed the urgent need for Parliamentary diplomacy to engage with Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.
He emphasized that immediate dialogue is necessary to reintegrate these countries into the West African bloc following their recent political upheavals.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minority leader in Ghana’s Parliament, suggested that the ECOWAS Community Parliament should leverage contacts with former members of the Parliament who served before the coups in these countries.
He expressed concern over Burkina Faso’s introduction of a new biometric passport without the ECOWAS logo, viewing it as a clear sign of the country distancing itself from the regional body.
He called for swift diplomatic efforts, asserting that past leaders who failed to resolve the crises should no longer be at the forefront of mediation.
Buah commended Senegalese President H. E. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye for taking the lead in efforts to bring the three Sahel nations back into ECOWAS and urged support for his initiatives.
Buah also appealed to Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, stating that the sub-region must unite rather than act independently.
He stressed that the path to alleviating poverty and fostering development lies in collective action, not individual efforts.
While expressing hope for a resolution, Buah criticized the involvement of older political figures, including Ghana’s President, who he believes have lost credibility in managing the situation.
