West African Bloc: Coup ‘Contagion’ Must Be Contained Before Region Devastated

THE chairman of the West African bloc ECOWAS said a surge of coups since a military government took power in Mali in 2020 must be contained before it devastates the whole region.

At the opening of a second ECOWAS summit on dealing with the January coup in Burkina Faso, chairman and president of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo said the resurgence of coups in West Africa is worrying and must be stopped.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I welcome all of you today back to Accra after our virtual meeting last week,” Akufo-Addo said. “Your presence here is a strong indication of your willingness to find a sustainable solution to the resurgence of the cancer in our region. Let us address this dangerous trend collectively and decisively before it devastates the whole region.”

West Africa in the past year has seen a series of coups and attempted coups in Burkina Faso,