Misinformation in the face of AES countries exit from ECOWAS
The recent exit of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has generated intense public discourse, debates, with misinformation and disinformation taken centre stage.
Although the exit of the three countries and their prior formation of a new alliance – the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) have exposed the challenges ECOWAS faces in its quest for regional integration, the discussions have been dominated by half-truths, misinformation, disinformation and a deliberate attempt to bastardise ECOWAS and destroy its image.
Funding
Some misinformation and misconception which had gained grounds recently are claims that ECOWAS is funded and controlled by external powers, particularly France.
These claims are preposterous, have no basis and not supported by the facts available.
ECOWAS has a robust funding mechanism which enables it to self-finance approximately 90 per cent of its budget, through a Community Levy (CL), which is a 0.5 per cent levy imposed on goods from non-ECOWAS to member countries.
This levy is collected by member states as part of the taxes on goods imported into their territories, transferred to ECOWAS and subsequently distributed to various institutions under ECOWAS based on an agreed formula.
Although ECOWAS is supported by development partners and international organisations in the form of grants and technical assistance, this does not connote control of ECOWAS policies and activities.
Decision making
Linked to the misinformation on funding are other false claims that ECOWAS is controlled by external powers.
This cannot be the case as ECOWAS has clear guidelines spelt out in its treaty on how decisions are made and implemented.
Decision–making within ECOWAS is made by the Heads of the member countries under the Authority of Head of States and Government on recommendation by the council of Ministers which comprises the foreign Ministers of member states.
As a leading sub-regional body in Africa, ECOWAS, which was formed to advance economic integration for sustainable development in West Africa, continues to set the standards for other sub-regional blocks, with such communities periodically coming to learn the ECOWAS model
Non-alignment
Again, the exit of the AES countries from ECOWAS has been described by some as a rebuke of ECOWAS’ leaning towards Western powers as against Russia, which in recent times has increased cooperation with the three AES countries.
Such assertion is far from the truth as member states of ECOWAS have historically maintained strong ties with Western countries and Russia, as well as other countries.
Ghana, for instance, has a foreign policy of non-alignment which is based on the concept of “friend of all, enemy to none” propounded by the first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and has over the years guided and shaped the country’s foreign policy and international relations.
ECOWAS as an institution has in its 50 years of existence collaborated with international organisations and other development partners to promote peace and security and sustainable economic development in West Africa.
It is therefore false to claim that ECOWAS has assumed an anti-Russian stance, which such posturing contributing to the decision of the three AES countries to exit the regional block.
