ECOWAS Urges Restraint Over Rising Border Tensions Among Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone
By Momodu Favour
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for restraint among Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone following renewed tensions along their shared border regions.
In a statement issued on Friday, the regional bloc expressed concern over developments around the disputed Yenga border area and other sensitive zones within the Mano River Basin, warning that escalating tensions could threaten stability in the region if not managed carefully.
ECOWAS said it was closely monitoring the situation and had resolved to deploy a technical assessment mission to the affected areas to evaluate developments and engage relevant authorities.
According to the Commission, the mission is primarily aimed at assessing the situation between Guinea and Sierra Leone in the Yenga border region, an area that has historically been a flashpoint due to longstanding territorial disputes between the two neighbouring countries.
The regional body, however, noted that recent developments along the border between Guinea and Liberia, particularly around Lofa County in Liberia, had introduced additional complexities to the situation.
As a result, ECOWAS said the geographical scope of the mission had been expanded to enable a broader review of tensions and potential flashpoints across the Mano River Basin, where the three countries share close economic, social, and historical ties.
“The ECOWAS Commission is deploying a technical assessment mission to evaluate the situation between Guinea and Sierra Leone in the Yenga border area,” the statement said.
It added that the Commission had also begun diplomatic engagements with the governments of the affected countries to gather firsthand information and help prevent further escalation.
ECOWAS urged the countries involved to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions, stressing the importance of maintaining peace and stability within the sub-region.
The organisation also called on the governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to respect internationally recognised boundaries and avoid unilateral actions that could undermine bilateral relations or inflame the situation on the ground.
It further encouraged the countries to prioritise dialogue and cooperation through ECOWAS-facilitated diplomatic channels in order to find a lasting and peaceful resolution to the issues.
The regional body reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the authorities of the affected countries to promote cooperation and maintain stability within the Mano River Basin.
According to the Commission, ECOWAS remains dedicated to fostering mutual respect, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence among its member states in pursuit of sustainable peace and development across West Africa.
