Nigeria, Sept. 1 -- New ECOWAS Commission President, Birame Diop, has pledged to strengthen ties with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger despite their withdrawal from the regional bloc and formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Diop made the commitment on Monday in Abuja during his formal inauguration alongside the new management team of the ECOWAS Commission.

ECOWAS leaders confirmed his appointment in July at the 69th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government.

In his inaugural address, Diop said ECOWAS must urgently rebuild internal cohesion and intensify dialogue with the three former member states, describing the regional bloc as being at a critical crossroads.

He argued that geographical proximity a...