The military regimes of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger on Sunday declared an immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), asserting that the regional bloc has become a threat to its member states.
In a joint statement, leaders of these Sahel nations termed the decision to exit ECOWAS a “sovereign decision.”
Tensions between the military regimes and ECOWAS had escalated since coups occurred in Niger in July 2023, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Mali in 2020.
All three, founding members of ECOWAS in 1975, had faced suspension and heavy sanctions as ECOWAS aimed to restore civilian governments through early elections.
The military leaders criticized ECOWAS for its “irrational and unacceptable posture” and accused the bloc of betraying its founding principles.
The three nations recently formed an “Alliance of Sahel States” and expressed dissatisfaction with ECOWAS’s failure to assist in combating jihadist threats that swept through Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
While the decision to leave ECOWAS could complicate trade for the landlocked nations, increasing costs and potentially reinstating visa requirements, these regimes argued that ECOWAS, influenced by foreign powers, had become a threat to member states.
The departure from ECOWAS has also prompted shifts in diplomatic relations.
Former colonial power France withdrew ambassadors and troops under pressure from the military regimes, leading to Russia filling the void both militarily and politically.
Concerns are rising over the potential southward spread of conflicts to Gulf of Guinea states, including Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.
In individual cases, Niger’s military leaders, facing economic sanctions after a coup, have expressed the need for up to three years for a transition back to civilian rule.
Mali’s ruling officers, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, initially pledged elections in February but have since postponed the date.
Burkina Faso, although not under sanctions, plans elections this summer while emphasizing the ongoing priority of combating insurgencies.