West African leaders convened in Accra on Tuesday for a two-day summit aimed at addressing the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The summit comes as the bloc grapples with the political and economic implications of the departures, which were formalized earlier this year by the three military-led nations.
Talks will focus on transitional measures proposed by ECOWAS, which include maintaining visa-free travel and free trade within the region at least on a temporary basis in an effort to limit disruption to regional integration.
Member states are expected to finalize those measures during the meeting and discuss the broader impact of the withdrawals on ECOWAS institutions.
Tensions have escalated following the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States by the three breakaway nations, which have imposed a 0.5% import duty on ECOWAS goods a move that poses a challenge to the bloc’s free trade agenda.
The summit marks a critical moment for ECOWAS as it seeks to preserve unity and economic cooperation across West Africa amid growing political divides.