The current president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Sierra Leonean Julius Maada Bio, called on Thursday for a return to the organization of "brother" countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, during an official visit to Guinea-Bissau.

Three countries ruled by juntas that seized power by force between 2020 and 2023 – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – left the West African organization this year, creating their own bloc, the Alliance of Sahel States (ESA).

"We have our brothers whom we want to convince to return to the ECOWAS family," the Sierra Leonean president told AFP after an audience with Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

Mr. Bio said he had "talked" with each of the three ESA countries since taking over the rotating presidency of ECOWAS in June. He visited Burkina Faso last week.

"I want to use this relationship I have maintained with them to understand their main grievances and find solutions to preserve the unity of this family," said the President of Sierra Leone.

During a visit to Ivory Coast on Monday, Mr. Bio indicated that he wanted to "maintain close ties with the ESA countries and promote collaboration."

The departure of the three ESA states at the beginning of the year has deeply shaken the West African bloc, which is also facing a resurgence of jihadist violence, fueled by internal tensions between member states, particularly in the Sahel and the Lake Chad region.

The three ESA countries accuse ECOWAS, among other things, of not having helped them enough in the fight against jihadist violence and of being subservient to France, with which they have frosty relations.

However, last May, ECOWAS and the three ESA countries agreed to cooperate in "the fight against terrorism" and to "safeguard the achievements of regional integration" despite their announced separation.

"There is also the case of countries in transition. We need to be more together than we are today," added Mr. Bio.

Coups and attempted coups have affected almost half of ECOWAS's original member countries over the past decade, creating tensions between neighbors.