The former Dean and Director of Academic Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College said the formal exit of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) would make it "very difficult" for economic unification.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Antwi-Danso said the breakaway of the military-led states would also hamper security cooperation and the fight against rising insurgency in the region.
"ECOWAS will be 50-years old this year and unfortunately we are nowhere near the integration kingdom, and if this thing happens to us in the middle of the way, it makes it more difficult to achieve regional integration," he said.

ECOWAS on Wednesday announced the formal exit of junta-led Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the bloc following their withdrawal last year.

"The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and Republic of Niger has become effective today, 29th January 2025," the ECOWAS said in a statement.

The statement said the doors of ECOWAS were open to the junta-led states and encouraged member nations to continue to accord the trio their membership privileges, including free movement within the region with an ECOWAS passport.

The West Africa region witnessed successive military takeovers in the past five years, prompting the 15-member regional bloc to withdraw the membership of those States among other sanctions.

Dr Antwi-Danso said the exit was avoidable and criticised ECOWAS for failing to use diplomatic channels to address the military takeovers.
He said ECOWAS' adoption of threats in a bid to compel the junta leaders to return to democratic rule "provoked" the junta and marred the peaceful resolution of the standoff.

"We could have handled them using diplomacy instead of threats. Instead, we used the wrong methodology in trying to help them to return to normalcy." Dr Antwi-Danso said.

The security and international relations expert however applauded ECOWAS' decision to leave her doors open to the juntas and proposed that the bloc could use trade to persuade the breakaway states to rescind their decision.

"It is a better approach and it shows that ECOWAS is biting the humble pie. The juntas are now united and there is no need to threaten them." Dr Antwi-Danso said.