Military - led Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso part ways with ECOWAS

West Africa, 

Sunday, 28 January, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Three military-led West African states have announced their immediate withdrawal from regional bloc ECOWAS, accusing the body of becoming a threat to its members.

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso which are all led by Military regimes released a joint statement announcing their immediate dissociation with the west African regional bloc. 

“decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal” from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)"the statement read on Sunday. 

The three countries accused the regional body of failing to support their fight against “terrorism and insecurity”, while imposing “illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions”.

They have further distanced themselves from former colonial power France,and strengthened ties to Russia, and in September they formed a mutual defence pact called The Alliance of Sahel States,

They accused ECOWAS of falling under the influence of foreign powers. 

The statement read that Ecowas "under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to member states and peoples," adding that the bloc had failed to help them tackle the jihadist violence in their countries.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS said it had not yet received formal notification from the countries about their withdrawal from the bloc.

According to the Ecowas treaty, member states wishing to withdraw must give written notice a year in advance, and continue to abide by its provisions during that year.

“Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali remain important members of the Community and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse,” it said.

Furthermore, ECOWAS said Its protocol provides that withdrawal takes up to one year to be completed.

Widely seen as West Africa’s top political and regional authority, the 15-nation bloc of ECOWAS – formed in 1975 to “promote economic integration” in member states – has struggled in recent years to reverse rampant coups in the region where citizens have complained of not benefitting from rich natural resources.

Military power grabs took place in Mali in 2020 and 2021, in Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Niger in 2023.

The regional body reacted by suspending all three countries and imposed heavy sanctions on Niger and Mali.

Ecowas has called on all three countries to return to civilian rule.

The three military leaders have argued that they want to restore security before organising elections as they struggle to contain jihadist insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

As Niger's junta leader have announced they will need up to three years to restore civilian rule while Mali had promised to hold transitional elections in January which have again been postponed to an uncertain date. 

It is still uncertain on when Burkina Faso will hold it's transitional elections.