The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to convene an extraordinary meeting later this month to address the controversial 0.5 percent import levy recently imposed by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) on goods coming from ECOWAS member nations.
The Head of Communication for the ECOWAS Commission, Joel Ahofodji, confirmed the development to Punch on Wednesday, revealing that the Extraordinary Council meeting will take place on April 22, 2025. The summit will focus on the newly imposed tariff and other related regional issues.
When asked whether ECOWAS would retaliate against the AES for the import levy, Ahofodji stated, “ECOWAS will have an Extraordinary Council on the 22nd of April. All these issues will be discussed.”
Naijaonpoint had earlier reported that the AES, a bloc comprising the military junta-led states of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, introduced the 0.5 percent import duty on goods coming from ECOWAS nations.
This move is intended to generate revenue for the new alliance, which has been under increased scrutiny following its decision to exit ECOWAS earlier in January 2025.
The new levy, which took effect on March 28, applies to all goods entering Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, excluding humanitarian aid.
This development directly contradicts ECOWAS’s long-standing objective of promoting the free movement of goods among member states, including the AES countries, despite their official departure from the regional bloc.
The imposition of the import levy undermines the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), which supports duty-free and quota-free movement of goods and services within the region.
The AES’s action effectively creates a new trade barrier, raising concerns that it will disrupt supply chains, inflate prices, and increase trade costs within the affected countries.
This new barrier is expected to weaken the regional bloc’s free trade framework, which has historically aimed to eliminate such obstacles to trade. ECOWAS is now tasked with addressing the impact of the AES’s actions and finding a resolution that balances the interests of all its members.
Relations between ECOWAS and the three AES countries have been strained since their decision to leave the bloc in early 2024.
The withdrawal came after months of disagreements, with the junta governments of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso accusing ECOWAS of failing to support their fight against terrorism and of imposing sanctions that harmed their populations.
Although the sanctions were eventually lifted, the three countries have maintained their decision to exit the bloc. ECOWAS, in response, issued guidelines to mitigate disruptions for businesses and citizens, including provisions for duty-free trade, visa-free movement, and residence.
The regional body has also expressed willingness to reopen discussions should the AES countries choose to rejoin the bloc in the future.
In another significant development, Niger officially withdrew from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a regional military force combating Islamist insurgency in the Lake Chad region. The MNJTF, which includes forces from Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon, has been operational since 2015.