Obasanjo Urges Pragmatic ECOWAS Engagement With Sahel States

By News Ghana 

July 4, 2025

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for corrective diplomacy between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) during a July 3 Republic Day Lecture in Accra.

Addressing military and civil society leaders, Obasanjo advocated reconciliation without blame attribution, stating: “Geographic realities necessitate cooperative security frameworks,” according to verified event transcripts.

The AES – comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso – formed in July 2024 following ECOWAS suspensions after political transitions. Obasanjo characterized the alliance as reflecting regional sovereignty movements while noting shared security challenges against extremism require institutional collaboration.

The lecture, chaired by former UN envoy Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, emphasized regional interdependence. “Mending our common house prevents external predation,” Obasanjo concluded, framing unity as essential for prosperity under the Mahama administration’s West African integration priorities.