President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked his Senegalese counterpart, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to use his goodwill within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to help resolve disputes with Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.

Faye was in Ghana on May 17, 2024, for a day’s working visit after travelling to Nigeria. His call was intended to strengthen relations between Ghana and Senegal and to thank President Akufo-Addo for attending his inaugural ceremony in Dakar last April.

In January 2024, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced their withdrawal from the 49-year-old bloc after they were suspended by the group over military coups in all three nations.

They stated in a joint declaration that withdrawal from ECOWAS was a “sovereign decision” for the three states since the organization had “drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism.”

Addressing a joint press conference at the Jubilee House after talks on Friday, President Akufo-Addo said Faye would lead the renewed efforts to get the three countries back into the ECOWAS fold after military takeovers in 2022 and 2023.

He said that during the talks, the Senegalese leader expressed support for ECOWAS’ efforts to bring the three nations back into the union and to the table for further negotiations.

“President Faye is very committed to seeing what he and the rest of us can do to reach out and revive the dialogue that would enable us to extend the hand of friendship and brotherhood to these three countries and find a way to bring them back within the ECOWAS community.

“His election was a source of reassurance to all of us who are interested in the democratic future of our region and of our continent. It appeared at one time as if Senegal’s reputation as a country committed to the principles of democratic accountability, respect for human rights, and rule of law, was being jeopardized.

“But fortunately, good sense prevailed, elections were held, and out of the elections, Bassirou Faye emerged as the clear convincing winner of the elections and the manner in which he ascended to the presidency has brought peace and unity to his country and that again Senegal is going to play a very important role in the development of the ECOWAS community has now been fully confirmed.

“We are lucky to have a new leader in place because I think he is also going to help us to try and resolve the big problem that we have in the ECOWAS community and that is the purported departure of three of the key nations in ECOWAS; Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, the President said.

President Faye, for his part, embraced the challenge to assist reunite ECOWAS with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

He thanked President Akufo-Addo for attending his investiture in April and for the hand of friendship and fellowship he extended to him following his election and assumption of office.

The 44-year-old won the March 24 election, receiving more than 54 per cent of the vote.