Editorial: ECOWAS Must Still Play Frontline Role In The Sahel Crisis

Last week, the entire continent was taken aghast when it was reported that an al-Qaeda affiliate and Tuareg insurgents had murdered Mali’s Defence Minister, Gen. Sadio Camara, in a sweeping assault in which jihadists and rebel fighters reportedly seized several towns and military bases.

The shocking development has once again drawn urgent attention to the deteriorating security crisis in the Sahel. The central question is unavoidable: why has so much money been invested in the Sahel, yet insecurity continues to deepen?

The region’s crisis is no longer simply about terrorism. It has evolved into a dangerous mixture of insurgency, weak governance, military rule, ethnic grievances, external interference and geopolitical competition.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have all experienced coups in recent years, replacing elected governments with juntas that promised order and national revival. Yet the security environment has deteriorated under their watch.

Large parts of these countries remain contested. Civilians continue to be killed, displaced and impoverished. Schools, clinics and markets have shut down in many rural areas. State authority has retreated while armed groups fill the vacuum.

Equally troubling is the increasing internationalisation of the conflict. The Sahel has become another arena for global rivalries.

Russia has expanded influence through the Africa Corps, formerly linked to Wagner, offering military support to regimes battling insurgents. Other foreign actors are also accused of backing armed factions, deepening mistrust and prolonging violence.

Whether every allegation is proven or not, one reality is clear: African battlefields are increasingly being shaped by external contests that do little to solve African problems.

The human cost has been staggering. Security monitors estimate that the Sahel accounted for about 51 percent of all global terrorism-related deaths in recent years.

Across Africa, more than 150,000 deaths have been linked to militant Islamist violence over the past decade. Thousands more have been wounded, displaced or stripped of their livelihoods, while already fragile economies continue to suffer.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) formed by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, has announced joint military operations following the latest attacks. While regional cooperation is welcome, military action alone will not solve a crisis rooted in governance failure, poverty, corruption, exclusion and state absence.

This is where continental leadership has been lacking. Both the African Union and ECOWAS have struggled to respond effectively. Their divisions over coups, sanctions and diplomacy have often produced more headlines than solutions. Institutions created to preserve peace and constitutional order now risk appearing distant and ineffective.

The Chronicle is worried that democratic credentials in the sub-region are fast fading, creating room for these complex challenges to flourish. The weakening of constitutional governance has opened space for misguided external actors to exploit tensions and deepen conflicts within the AES states. These developments could drive away investors, worsen unemployment and deepen poverty in a region already struggling with fragile and distressed economies.

We believe urgent and coordinated action is needed. The AU and ECOWAS must move beyond routine statements and establish a credible regional security framework based on intelligence sharing, rapid response capacity and sustained cooperation among affected states.

Governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger must also address the underlying causes of extremism, including youth unemployment, weak justice systems, corruption, ethnic marginalisation and the lack of basic services. Where the state is absent, extremist groups gain influence. They must also review their decision to leave ECOWAS, which admit, has limited the role of the regional body to fully resolve the crisis.

We insist there must be a clear return to constitutional civilian rule. Military governments may promise order, but durable peace is built through accountable institutions, democratic legitimacy and the rule of law.

Africa must equally resist becoming a battleground for foreign rivalries. Partnerships should serve African interests, not turn the continent into a theatre for proxy wars.

The humanitarian crisis requires urgent attention. Millions face hunger, displacement and economic hardship. Greater support is needed for food security, healthcare, shelter and education in affected communities.

Above all, The Chronicle believes leadership is required from Addis Ababa to Abuja. The Sahel crisis is no longer a distant problem. It is a direct threat to regional peace, democratic governance and economic progress. The era of half-measures must end. Africa must act now!

 

 

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