The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is making enormous efforts to bring back Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to the regional bloc from where they withdrew last month, following the coups that toppled democratic governments of the three countries and the sanctions ECOWAS imposed on them.
While the regional bloc is still grappling with the three Sahel countries, another political situation with potential to escalate into a major crisis erupted in Senegal. Considering the implications of allowing the three countries to quit the community, and the disturbing situation in Senegal, ECOWAS convened an Extraordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the Ministerial Level, held at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja on Thursday.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who is also the Chair of the Council, in his remarks said “We are also here to review the unfolding situation in Senegal and develop a plan to navigate the resulting complexities.”
The situation in Senegal erupted over the decision of President Macky Sall to indefinitely postpone the presidential election in the country on the eve of the commencement of campaigns for election earlier scheduled for February 25, 2024.
This development has triggered waves of protests and apprehension over the fate of democracy in Senegal, perhaps the most stable democratic country in the region. There are palpable fears that if the situation degenerates, it might truncate the country’s enviable democratic history.
Amid lingering protests triggered by the postponement, members of the Senegalese Parliament last week voted to fix the election on December 15 but the opposition has rejected that. Protests have continued going into the second week since the postponement of the election.
During the chaotic debate in the Parliament, the police reportedly stormed the parliament and forcibly removed some members of the opposition, a signal to the high-handed approach of the ruling party and President Macky Sall.
The ECOWAS Commission in a statement warned against any action or statement that may contravene the provisions of the country’s constitution.
It said “The ECOWAS Commission encourages the political class to take steps urgently to restore the electoral calendar in accordance with the provisions of Senegal’s constitution.”
An expert, who does not want his name on print said “Whether the political class will heed this admonition within the complexities of the unfolding situation in Senegal is difficult to say. But the regional bloc must apply diplomacy to halt this ugly development before things get worse.”
