A coup occurred in Niger on July 26, 2023 when the military overthrew President Mohamad Bazoum.  The military opposed President Bazoum’s government for not doing enough to prevent terrorist attacks, or increase economic growth in the country. In addition to Niger, coups occurred in Mali in 2020, and Burkina Faso in 2022 for similar reasons.  The Economic Community of West African States (E.C.O.W.A.S.) opposed the coups, imposed sanctions on all three countries, and wants democratic elections to occur in each country.  In January 2024, military juntas from the three countries announced their decision to withdraw from E.C.O.W.A.S. due to the sanctions.  On February 8, 2024, the Mediation and Security Council of E.C.O.W.A.S. met in Abjua, Nigeria to plan negotiations with the three countries, hoping to convince the military juntas to reconsider their decision to withdraw from the Community.  In order for negotiations to be successful, E.C.O.W.A.S. will likely have to lift some sanctions, and do more to stop terrorism in the three countries.

After the Mediation and Security Council met, CNN reported Yusuf Tuggar, the chairman of the Council said “We continue to urge those three countries to remain,” and “E.C.O.W.A.S. is going to redouble its efforts towards diplomacy, towards dialogue, towards reconciliation.”  However, it will be difficult to convince the countries to stay in the Community, as the Washington Post reported Amadou Abdramane, a spokesperson for Niger’s military, said the sanctions made by E.C.O.W.A.S. were “illegitimate, irresponsible, and inhumane,” and “weakened populations already bruised by years of violence.”

E.C.O.W.A.S. was established in 1975 to promote economic cooperation by increasing trade between member countries. However, sanctions imposed on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have caused there to be less trade with other E.C.O.W.A.S members.  According to the International Rescue Committee,  sanctions have caused shortages of food, electricity, and medicine, and 4.3 million people in Niger need aid.  The International Crisis Group reported if E.C.O.W.A.S. eased sanctions to allow humanitarian aid to be sent to Niger, it is more likely the military juntas would agree to start negotiations, and stay in E.C.O.W.A.S.

Before the coup in Niger occurred, there had been an increase in terrorist attacks in West Africa.  According to Al Jazeera, over 1,800 attacks occurred in the region from January to June 2023, with most of the attacks being committed by groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.  The Guardian reported E.C.O.W.A.S. has considered creating an anti-terrorism task force to prevent attacks.  A task force could detect planned attacks before they occur, determine the funding sources of terrorist groups, and make sure terrorist groups do not receive any finances.  If a task force is successful in stopping terrorism, the military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger might agree to hold elections as there would be less concerns about the government not being able to stop attacks.

E.C.O.W.A.S. has wanted Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to transition to having a democratic government. Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of Niger’s military, proposed holding elections within three years.  However, E.C.O.W.A.S.  opposed Tchiani’s proposal, wanting elections to occur sooner.  Elections were also planned to occur in Mali and Burkina Faso in 2024, although they have been postponed in both countries.  In Mali, elections were postponed so the government could review the list of candidates running in the elections, while in Burkina Faso the military considered security and preventing terrorism to be a more important priority than elections.  Although elections have not occurred, the military juntas making plans for elections in all three countries makes it possible they could agree to a democratic transition, and E.C.O.W.A.S. can make this more likely by working to stop terrorism in each country.

Terrorism is a problem in West Africa, and concerns about the government not being able to stop attacks caused coups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.  Although E.C.O.W.A.S. should continue to support democracy in each country, it needs to ease sanctions since they have caused all three countries to support withdrawing from the Community.  With less sanctions, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger will be more likely to stay in E.C.O.W.A.S., and it will be possible for E.C.O.W.A.S. to prevent terrorism and encourage a democratic transition in each country.