Your correspondent Aanu Adeoye reports that the triad of military leaders in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have announced their decision to leave the Economic Community of West African States (“Junta-led trio quits west African economic bloc”, Report, January 29).
These three founding members of Ecowas, established under the Lagos treaty in 1975, were already facing suspension and economic sanctions as the bloc used its leverage to try and restore democracy in these countries.
Their withdrawal could have big implications for regional food security.
The central Sahel region is grappling with extreme weather events like prolonged and severe droughts and floods that threaten lives and livelihoods. Already, Niger loses 100,000 to 120,000 hectares of arable land to soil erosion and desertification each year. The three dissident nations therefore rely heavily on food imports from neighbouring Ecowas member states like Nigeria.
Also, being landlocked, these three countries depend on neighbours for trade and transportation links, using their ports. Their Ecowas exit, coupled with existing economic sanctions, will deny them the benefits of regional trade and economic integration, disrupting the flow of goods across borders, including food products. This disruption could have an impact on the availability and affordability of food in the region.
Political and social stability within the Sahel has also seen massive population displacement (particularly among farmers). The Sahel region has been plagued with poverty and jihadi insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and Isis. With the forced withdrawal of France’s troops from the region, there are increasing concerns about conflict in the area, further affecting food production, distribution and prices.
The combined effects of the climate crisis, closed borders and conflict would disrupt the agricultural supply chains, raising food prices and resulting in acute hunger and malnutrition. More hunger can trigger civil disobedience and further instability, as witnessed in the “Arab Spring”.
History has also shown that rebellion under military dictatorship earns the cruelty of the boot and the gun. To prevent the ensuing food and political crisis, the military junta must conduct themselves after the manner of gentlemen and allow common sense to prevail. On their part, Ecowas leaders must demonstrate compassion — at least for the innocent food-insecure victims of this circumstance.
Lotanna E Emediegwu
Senior Lecturer, Department of Finance & Economics, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
