The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has removed the economic sanctions imposed on Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea.

The decision was taken on Saturday, in Abuja, during the extraordinary summit on the political, security, and peace conditions in the ECOWAS sub-region.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, announced Saturday’s resolutions in a communique from an hour-long Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.

Touray said the decision was based on humanitarian considerations regarding Lent and the approaching month of Ramadan.

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The civilian governments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger fell under military control in May 2021, September 2022 and July 2023, respectively. Consequently, the ECOWAS announced economic sanctions that isolated the three states alongside Guinea, where the military took over in September 2021.

The bloc suspended all commercial and financial transactions between its current members and the junta-led states, freezing all their assets at the ECOWAS Central Bank.

Niger became the latest target of the punitive measures when members of its Presidential Guard overthrew the country’s leader, Mohammed Bazoum, in June 2023. Thus, in July 2023, the ECOWAS imposed a long list of sanctions on the General Abdourahamane Tchiani-led military junta.

On January 28, the three nations announced their withdrawal from the ECOWAS, saying its “illegal sanctions” were harming the people. They also alleged that the bloc had fallen under the influence of foreign governments whose interests, they said, were far from the peoples’’.

On sanctions, Touray said, “The Authority resolved to lift with immediate effect the following measures imposed on the Republic of Niger: Closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger to be lifted, no-fly zone of all commercial flights to and from Niger is to be lifted and suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger is to be lifted.”

The Authority also resolved that the “freezing of all service transactions, including utility services, is to be lifted. The freezing of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central banks is to be lifted.

“Freezing of assets of Niger State and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks is to be lifted.

“Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development and BIRD, is to be lifted. Travel ban on the government officials and their family members is also to be lifted.”

The ECOWAS Commission chief further said “This decision is based on humanitarian considerations, especially as we are in the month of lent and as we prepare for the holy month of Ramadan.”

He continued, “The Authority has also resolved to lift the sanctions regarding the recruitment of Malian citizens in statutory and professional positions within ECOWAS. The Authority has also resolved to lift financial and economic sanctions on the Republic of Guinea.

“The Authority has also instructed the President of the Commission to invite Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Guinea, to attend the technical and consultative meetings of ECOWAS as well as all security-related meetings.

“The authority calls on ECOWAS institutions, member states, the United Nations Mine Action Office and other regional institutions to implement this decision.”

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio who participated in the summit said: “Our resolution at the Summit has once more demonstrated our collective resolve to promote peace, unity and brotherhood in our subregion.

“We remain resolute in our commitment towards pursuing amicable solutions to the prevailing challenges in our Community. We are confident that we shall emerge stronger and more united in pursuit of our collective objectives as enshrined in the Revised ECOWAS Treaty.”