Hundreds of protesters gathered in Ouagadougou on Tuesday to celebrate the first anniversary of the withdrawal of three Sahelian countries – Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger – from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
The demonstration, organised by the National Coordination of Citizen Monitoring Associations, was marked by strong symbolism.
The participants, carrying the flags of the three member countries of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) as well as the Russian flag, notably staged the “funeral” of Ecowas through a coffin covered with the French flag.
The slogans chanted testified to a categorical rejection of the West African organisation in favour of the AES: “Down with rotten Ecowas, long live the AES” and “We want peace, long live the AES”.
The demonstrators also expressed their support for the leaders of the three countries: Ibrahim Traore (Burkina), Assimi Goita (Mali) and Abdourahamane Tiani (Niger).
The event was marked by the notable presence of several personalities, including Burkinabe Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo and Bassolma Bazie, President of the National Commission of the AES, thus underlining the official nature of this commemoration.
DS/ac/fss/jn/APA