President John Mahama has disclosed that ECOWAS is continuing dialogue with the three Sahelian countries; Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger that have withdrawn from the regional body to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Speaking at the Jubilee House on Friday, September 19, 2025 after receiving Germany’s new Ambassador to Ghana, President Mahama stressed the need for solidarity in addressing the challenges faced by these countries, particularly the growing threat of terrorism.
He warned that if the region does not unite in confronting these issues, terrorism could spread further across West Africa.
“One of the areas we want to thank Germany for is the collaboration with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). The partnership has been very useful in terms of training and strategic thinking.
“We would like to continue that collaboration, especially now that the West Africa subregion is facing the threat of violent extremism.
“The AES countries have broken away from ECOWAS, but we are engaged in continuous dialogue because we believe the difficulties they face are not theirs alone. If we do not show solidarity, the threat could easily spill over into the rest of the region,” he said.
Germany’s new Ambassador, Frederick Landshoft, commended President Mahama for his leadership in both national and regional affairs.
“The energy of your administration is remarkable. I would like to commend you on your achievements, especially in improving the macro economy and other areas that have been recognised internationally.
“For us in Germany, it creates opportunities politically, socially, and economically. We share a long-standing history of cooperation, and this year marks 50 years of partnership,” he said, adding that Germany looks forward to deepening collaboration with Ghana on security, democracy, and economic growth.
Following the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the ECOWAS bloc, they formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to consolidate political, economic, and security ties.
Since then President Mahama has championed their return to the bloc, leading engagement with the Sahel states.
