President Mahama details efforts to restore trust between ECOWAS and Alliance of Sahel States
via GhanaWeb2 min read
President John Dramani Mahama has revealed his diplomatic efforts to rebuild trust between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States AES. Speaking at Chatham House in London, President Mahama described the initial atmosphere upon his return to the presidency as one of "distrust" and "open hostility" between the blocs. He noted that his first task was to convince ECOWAS to soften its stance and engage with the AES. He then invited AES leaders to his inauguration, which they attended, with Burkina Faso's military leader Ibrahim Traoré present in person, and Mali and Niger sending their prime ministers. President Mahama subsequently paid return visits to the three countries, using these opportunities for quiet diplomatic engagements. He stated that the atmosphere has since "thawed," leading to more discussions about a common future between ECOWAS and the AES states. President Mahama has consistently advocated against isolating the three countries, emphasizing the unavoidable nature of continued engagement due to West Africa's geographical, historical, and cultural ties.
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