Ghana, Burkina Faso leaders meet in bid to strengthen ties amid ‘breakdown of trust’ in ECOWAS

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has met with Burkina Faso’s interim leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, in high-level talks aimed at enhancing regional stability and fostering deeper economic partnerships.
The discussions, held in Ouagadougou on Monday (10 March), covered a range of issues, with a particular emphasis on improving relations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where trust among members has significantly eroded. After the closed-door meeting, Mahama acknowledged the breakdown in trust within ECOWAS, particularly with the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. He assured president Traoré that he would present these concerns to fellow West African leaders at the upcoming ECOWAS summit, emphasizing the need for rebuilding trust and cooperation despite the strained ties. “It will take time to rebuild it, but we must work on it so that we restore trust and confidence with each other; so that we can work together, even if we are not part of the same regional body,” president Mahama said.
The security situation in the Sahel region was also a central topic. Both leaders discussed the growing threat of terrorism, particularly the spread of extremist groups from Mali to Burkina Faso and Niger. Mahama warned that a unified, collective approach is crucial to combat the expanding crisis. Economic collaboration between the two nations also featured prominently, with Mahama revealing plans for a direct Accra-Ouagadougou flight to facilitate trade, especially in agricultural products. Additionally, discussions covered boosting electricity exports from Ghana to Burkina Faso and enhancing the petroleum pipeline from Ghana to Ouagadougou to streamline fuel supplies.