Scavengers are already lurking around the dying man. In 2016-17, the Kingdom of Morocco created a sensation by asking to join the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). A request received, it seems, with great goodwill on the part of several West African leaders, but which surprised many observers, given that this country has no land border with any ECOWAS country. It was even more surprising in the sense that Chad, which borders West Africa, was rejected on the grounds that it is not located in the sub-region.

Morocco’s request had created a call for air. Following the Cherifian kingdom, Algeria, Tunisia, and following them, Mauritania, had also expressed the need to integrate the West African sub-regional organization. All these manoeuvres were stopped with the launch of the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Maghreb countries, as well as the others, undoubtedly said to themselves that it was no longer necessary to bend over backwards to integrate an economic market which will very soon be wide open to them. Besides, it was only a matter of formalizing certain things. Moroccan interests, among others, are already well present in the sub-region, especially in the field of finance – in all its forms – and construction, infrastructure and real estate in particular. Morocco is also a more or less important player in the agricultural sector, particularly in Senegal.

All this did not prevent the announcement of the desire of the 3 member states of the new Association of Sahel States (Aes), Mali, Burkina and Niger, to withdraw from ECOWAS, Morocco, through officials and businessmen, hastened to offer them its services. Knowing that these are 3 landlocked countries, without any maritime outlet, the country of King Mohammed 6 is promising them all the advantages that they could derive from its port infrastructures, to circumvent a possible embargo which would hit them from ECOWAS member countries. An attitude that could not be more cavalier, but all in all fair. Long before Charles de Gaulle, we always knew that countries had no friends, only interests. Those who have not understood this have always been prey to strong disillusionment.

Need we be reminded that it was Mauritania, mainly, which helped Mali to circumvent the embargo imposed on it by the ECOWAS countries. Already at the time, our northern neighbours understood that it was a great opportunity for their ports of Nouadhibou and Nouakchott to gain market share from the Port of Dakar. Senegal, moreover, which is Mali’s first client and its main route to the world, has strongly felt the repercussions of this embargo and the sanctions from ECOWAS and UEMOA.

This is to say that, if we estimate that the « dissident » countries, which have decided to take their destiny in their hands, will suffer from their exclusion from community institutions, the level of economic and social relations established for years centuries means that their neighbours do not find reason to congratulate themselves on what is happening to them. The ports of Cotonou in Benin and Lagos in Nigeria are not happy with the sharp drop in traffic they are experiencing due to the embargo decided against Niger.

This country, like the other two, finds itself in this situation because of military putsches which imposed violent changes in the political regime, which the members of the community institutions did not accept. The irony of the matter is to see that, if ECOWAS and UEMOA remain these “unions of heads of state” that everyone criticized at a certain period, they would not have banned the new leaders of these countries from the community and we would not have experienced these difficulties. It is wanting to impose principles of good governance that has led to the current situation. And these 3 leaders, Goïta, Traoré and Tchiani, thought that slamming the door would solve their problems. This is not easy, and they will realize it very quickly.

For the moment, the greatest concern of those who remain is to do everything to avoid dislocation. Centrifugal forces, jealous of the successes of the economic community, would like to drag all countries backwards, and they must be put in check. But this will not be achieved through concessions. On the contrary, countries will have to agree to give even more powers to ECOWAS, particularly to its commission. Let the latter cease to be an empty shell, or an appendage of the powers of Abuja and Accra, mainly. Practically, make the free movement of people and goods a concrete reality, by removing human barriers and the more or less official rackets.

Countries must also implement the Common External Tariff, by promoting the circulation of goods produced in the sub-region, and increase the level of trade between the different countries. The various interconnections of electricity and telephone should be able to go further, by adding water and medical exchanges, among others. Efforts are being made in this direction, but we need to do even more, and much faster. Lots of things have been started, even on the economic level. It would even be time to finally move forward on the question of the single currency, supposed to rid us of the Cfa.  And above all, do not adopt the Eco of the Ouattara-Macron couple. ECOWAS is not yet moribund, and the bride still has plenty of finery. It is up to the leaders of different countries to add value to them.

By Mohamed GUEYE / mgueye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH