President Julius Maada Bio urges regional unity as ECOWAS faces security, political, and economic challenges.
Zig Diaries Africa
Date: Friday, 15 August 2025
Time: 17:30 WAT
Location: 📍 Freetown, Sierra Leone
Maada Bio highlights the importance of reintegrating Mali,
Burkina Faso, and Niger into ECOWAS amid rising regional instability.
As he continues his West Africa tour, Sierra Leone’s
President Julius Maada Bio has reiterated his desire for the Alliance of Sahel
States to rejoin the regional bloc, ECOWAS.
Bio, who assumed the rotating presidency of ECOWAS in June,
said he hopes his strong relations with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will
encourage their return.
The three junta-led countries announced their exit from the
15-nation bloc in January, following the formation of their own alliance last
year. Their departure followed ECOWAS demands for the restoration of democratic
rule in Niger after its 2023 military coup.
Speaking on the regional challenges, President Bio stressed
that terrorism, climate change, military coups, and poverty make unity more
urgent than ever.
He pledged to prioritise democracy, security cooperation,
economic integration, and institutional credibility throughout his tenure.
Fact-Check &
Background Context:
ECOWAS, founded in 1975, aims to promote economic integration, political
stability, and democratic governance across West Africa.
The Alliance of Sahel States was created last year by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after facing sanctions and demands from ECOWAS.
Previous ECOWAS interventions in member
states include sanctions, mediation efforts, and peacekeeping deployments.
🏷️ Tags: Sierra Leone, ECOWAS, West Africa, Julius Maada Bio, Sahel
Alliance, Regional Unity
#ZigDiariesAfrica #SierraLeone #ECOWAS #WestAfrica
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