President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is maintaining dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—the three Sahelian countries that recently withdrew from the bloc to establish the Alliance of Sahel States.

Speaking at the Jubilee House after receiving the credentials of Germany’s Ambassador-designate to Ghana, Frederick Landshoeft, President Mahama underscored the importance of unity in tackling West Africa’s pressing security and development concerns.

He warned that without strong regional cooperation, insecurity could worsen and terrorism could spread further across the sub-region.

In a separate engagement, when Gariballa Khidir Ali of Sudan presented his Letters of Credence, President Mahama appealed to all parties in Sudan’s ongoing conflict to prioritise dialogue and “give peace a chance.”

For his part, Ambassador Ali urged Ghana to lend its support to Sudan’s peace initiatives.

He also pointed to opportunities for enhanced bilateral trade and expressed confidence in the upcoming Ghana-Sudan Ministerial Conference on Trade and Investment.