(France24)Our TakeThe ECOWAS sanctions were initially intended to incentivize the military governments that took power in Mali, Guinea and Niger to transition back to electoral democracy. As a result, sanctions relief may be too little, too late to keep the three Sahelian states, which have already announced the formation of their own alliance, from following through on their intention to begin the yearlong withdrawal process from ECOWAS. The entire series of events from when the recent spate of coups began in Mali in 2020 to now has underscored how much ECOWAS’ regional influence has faded. In all likelihood, ECOWAS’ lifting of sanctions will not change the bloc’s course or reverse trends in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger or Guinea. It will, however, at least be a relief for those states’ populations, which have suffered the most from the sanctions’ hard-hitting economic effects.
