An international relations expert, Prof. Femi Otubanjo, says the decision of ECOWAS to lift sanctions imposed on Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso will save the West African sub-regional bloc from disintegration.
Otubanjo, a Research Professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that Gambia’s Dr Omar Touray, who is the President of ECOWAS Commission, announced lifting of the sanctions at the end of the Extraordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS member-countries, on Saturday in Abuja.
Touray said that the decision was based on humanitarian considerations, the socio-economic impacts of the sanctions and the security of the sub-region.
“The authority has resolved to lift with immediate effect sanctions imposed on Niger and has lifted the closure of land and air borders between it and ECOWAS member- countries.
“No-fly-zone of all commercial flights to and from Niger is to be lifted. Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member-states and Niger are to be lifted,’’ Touray announced, among other decisions.
Touray also announced lifting of sanctions regarding the recruitment of Malian citizens in statutory and professional positions within ECOWAS.
NAN reports that the sanctions were imposed over unconstitutional takeover of government in the countries.
NAN also reports that Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, in January, announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
According to Otubanjo, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso leaving ECOWAS will be against the spirit of African brotherhood that led to the formation of the organisation by Nigeria’s retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon and some others.
Otubanjo lauded Gowan’s intervention as a mediator in appealing to all to avoid disintegration of ECOWAS.
According to him, the sanctions were to compel the concerned regimes to return to democracy, but on the contrary, it was the people who suffered the consequences.
“Sanctions generally will hurt the ordinary people not the ones in government. When food, fuel and other essentials are not coming in, those in government are at an advantaged position and look after themselves, even in war situations,” he said.
Otubanjo said that brotherhood remained important in West Africa.
He cited Nigeria’s long history of relations with Niger, emphasising the shared borders and strategic relationship including the trans-Saharan gas pipeline running through Niger, Algeria to Europe, serving liquified gas as well as the security of the Niger River used to generate electricity in Nigeria.
“Looking at the strategic connections among countries, there was that pressure to relieve the people from the burden of sanctions and try to work out some accommodations with the regimes.
“They didn’t envisage this type of hostile exit; so, it has created a form of problem for the management of relations in ECOWAS, and one way of walking back to make sure things don’t degenerate was to lift the sanctions.
“The lifting of the sanctions is to prevent them from going. They have given their notice but they have not exited yet.
“The idea of giving one year notice is to find a way of resolving any dispute that gave the impetus for that country to withdraw.
“ ECOWAS has given itself the opportunity to negotiate and persuade,” Otubanjo said.
Otubanjo said that although ECOWAS was committed to only constitutional governance in the region and did not want unconstitutional change of government, it would be better off if members would not quit.
This, he said, made ECOWAS to stretch a hand of friendship so that disputes could be resolved at the diplomatic level.
On democracy in Africa, Otubanjo said that it was a process to be developed.
According to him, there are levels of democratisation, and a lot of African countries are still at the rudimentary level, trying to establish democracy.
“The fact that they have problems with establishing does not mean democracy has failed.
“It means the democratisation process has not achieved its objective and must continue to be pushed forward.
“Democracy is an organic thing that grows and gets better, and we must not be cynical that democracy is failing.
“It has its challenges but they can be overcome,” Otubanjo said. (NAN)
By Busayo Onijala
