Mohamed Ibn Chambas, pioneer president of the ECOWAS Commission, has urged the bloc’s leaders to lift the sanctions slammed on Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Niger Republic following the military coups in the countries.

Mr Chambas, currently the African Union’s (AU) High Representative for ‘Silencing the Guns in Africa,’ made the call in a telephone interview with journalists on Friday.

Speaking ahead of the ECOWAS Summit slated for Abuja during the weekend, he called on all stakeholders in the West African sub-region to heed the recent call of former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), to end the prevailing conflicts and unite the people in the area.

“I very heartily join Gen. Gowon’s appeal for the lifting of sanctions and also appeal to the three countries that are threatening to withdraw from ECOWAS to, indeed, come back to the fold.

“They haven’t quit yet because the ECOWAS protocols are there. They know it, and the protocols have to be followed for any country to withdraw.

“So I can only call it, at this point, a threat, and I think that with Mr Gowon himself stepping in, they should heed his appeal,” said Mr Chambas.

Mr Chambas also called on Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger military leaders to withdraw their threat to exit from the sub-regional bloc.

He urged the heads of state to “reach out to these three countries for them to reconsider their threats to withdraw from ECOWAS because we are stronger united than divided.”

The former special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel stressed the need for ECOWAS member states to stand together to face the challenges bedevilling the sub-region.

“No one denies that we are facing some serious challenges. But we can overcome them, and we can only overcome these challenges united, not divided,” he added.

He expressed confidence in ECOWAS under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu in its ability to effectively articulate the conflict during the Abuja summit to be held during the weekend and find sustainable solutions.

Mr Chambas said that at the summit, Mr Tinubu should be able to get his colleagues to lift what he described as the “crippling sanctions” on Mali and others and the freezing of these countries’ bank accounts in the central bank of West African francophone countries.

“We also know Mr Tinubu to be a practical person and politician who has his ideals and principles and will do what is necessary to keep ECOWAS united.

“I’m aware that he is already working actively with the ECOWAS President, Dr Omar Touré, to ensure that every diplomatic step is taken to keep ECOWAS united,” Mr Chambas said.

(NAN)