The Minister of Defense of Burkina Faso, Kassoum Kambou, has issued a warning about the potential withdrawal of his country from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), reiterating unwavering support for Niger and condemning any acts of aggression.
During an interview with the Russian news agency “RIA Novosti,” Kambou stated, “We are anticipating aggression. In any case, our president has stated that we are prepared for aggression, and we stand by Niger.” Burkina Faso appears prepared to take the unprecedented step of withdrawing from ECOWAS due to what it perceives as illogical policies of the organization towards Niger.
Expressing concerns about the escalating activities of terrorist groups in the region, Kambou emphasized the potential repercussions if Niger were to descend into chaos. He asserted that ECOWAS member states do not possess the right to engage in hostilities against one another and stressed the unity of the economic union. The notion that a member state would contemplate waging a severe war against another member is, in his words, astonishing.
Burkina Faso, standing alongside Mali, stands firmly against any potential aggression targeting Niger. This solidarity underscores the serious stance taken by these nations in protecting their regional ally from any harm.