Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, three countries led by military regimes, announced on Sunday that they were leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with immediate effect. The announcement was made via a press release read on Nigerian television.
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The military regimes in power in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have decided to withdraw their countries, with immediate effect, from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a sub-regional organization of 15 members , they announced on Sunday January 28 in a joint press release.
The respective leaders of the three Sahelian States, “taking all their responsibilities in the face of history and responding to the expectations, concerns and aspirations of their populations, decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community West African States,” said the statement read on the state media of these countries.
The three countries, faced with similar problems of insecurity, jihadism and poverty, have had tense relations with ECOWAS since the military took power there by force, in 2020 in Mali, in 2022 in Burkina Faso and in 2023 in Niger.
ECOWAS is trying to stem the attacks and push for civilians to return to power as quickly as possible. It took heavy sanctions against Mali and Niger and went so far as to threaten to use force in the latter country. It suspended the three countries from its organs.
With AFP