President John Mahama says he has gained new perspectives on the concerns raised by three countries regarding their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He promised to relay these concerns to fellow leaders during the upcoming ECOWAS Summit.

In a media briefing following a closed-door meeting with Burkina Faso's military ruler, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, he emphasised that the core issue behind the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS is a breakdown in trust.

According to him, although it will take time, there is a need to work to regain trust.

“I assured President Traoré that I would pass on what they have explained to me at the next ECOWAS meeting. There’s a breakdown of trust, and while it will take time to rebuild, we must work towards restoring confidence so we can collaborate, even if we are not part of the same regional body,” he stated.

Beyond political concerns, President Mahama underscored the need for a collective approach to tackling terrorism, warning that the crisis— which began in Mali— has spread to neighboring countries and could further destabilise the region if left unchecked.

The two leaders also explored ways to improve transit trade between Ghana and Burkina Faso, boost agricultural exchanges, and establish a direct Accra-Ouagadougou flight.

Additionally, President Mahama noted that they discussed increasing electricity exports to Burkina Faso and extending Ghana’s fuel pipeline from Bolgatanga to Ouagadougou to facilitate petroleum product supply.