Kyiv: Ukraine on Wednesday criticized remarks by a commissioner from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), accusing Kyiv of ‘genocide’ in the Donbas region and destabilizing the Sahel region. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning these claims as groundless and insulting, accusing them of reproducing Russian propaganda disconnected from reality.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry emphasized that such statements discredit the individual making them and contradict multiple resolutions from the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, along with decisions from other international organizations. The accusations were made by Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, during the Russia-Africa forum in Sochi.
The Ukrainian ministry criticized Musah’s accusations of Ukraine degrading the security situation in the Sahel region, arguing that they undermine Kyiv’s relations with ECOWAS members and damage the
reputation of the economic union. Musah’s comments allegedly align with Russian narratives, particularly his claim that Kyiv attempts to eradicate Russian language and culture in Donbas.
The ministry expressed hope that Musah’s remarks do not reflect ECOWAS’s official stance, calling for the economic bloc’s leadership to condemn the statements and prevent similar occurrences. Multiple Ukrainian media, including state news agency Ukrinform, reported on Musah’s accusations made during the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum on Nov. 9-10.
ECOWAS, established on May 28, 1975, aims to promote collaboration in trade, finance, and security to ensure stability and development in West Africa. The regional bloc has historically addressed regional challenges and supported member states’ welfare. However, in January, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS following the bloc’s threat of military intervention in Niger after a coup in July.