Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is calling for intensified diplomatic efforts to address the crisis triggered by the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS.

The three countries, now under military rule, exited the regional bloc in January 2025 and have since formed their own confederation — the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES).

Minister Ablakwa emphasized that addressing the root causes of the split is essential to restoring regional unity and stability in West Africa.