IN a decisive move, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have expedited their departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), bypassing the bloc’s one-year withdrawal rule. Just ten days after announcing their intention to withdraw, the three nations, all governed by military regimes established through coups d’état, are set on an immediate exit trajectory.
On January 28, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger officially communicated their decision to quit ECOWAS, with formal notifications dispatched to the organisation the following day. While Article 91 of the bloc’s treaty dictates a one-year period of obligation after withdrawal notification, the trio is adamant in their refusal to abide by this provision.
‘The government of the Republic of Mali is no longer bound [by the] time constraints mentioned in article 91 of the treaty,’ declared Mali’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in a letter to ECOWAS, asserting the nullification of the bloc’s authority. Mali, like its counterparts, accuses ECOWAS of breaching its obligations by sealing borders and imposing sanctions in 2022, actions deemed detrimental to its sovereignty.
Similarly, Burkina Faso and Niger echoed Mali’s sentiment, emphasising the organisation’s purported failures and punitive measures that allegedly aimed to undermine their transitional economies. The Burkina Faso Foreign Ministry lambasted ECOWAS for its ‘serious failings’ and denounced sanctions targeting transition countries.
Meanwhile, Niger affirmed its swift withdrawal through official channels, considering Article 91 void, according to a government source cited by the AFP news agency. The military regimes’ discontent with ECOWAS extends beyond administrative procedures, as tensions escalated following the suspension of their civilian governments by the regional bloc.
ECOWAS, grappling with the geopolitical fallout, is convening a ministerial-level meeting in Abuja to address the escalating political and security landscape in the region. The organisation’s efforts to reinstate civilian rule have been met with resistance, with the military regimes accusing ECOWAS of encroaching on their sovereignty.
In response to perceived external pressures, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger consolidated their stance by forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), advocating for sovereignty and pan-Africanism. Moreover, the military regimes have severed ties with former colonial power France, embracing a strategic realignment with Moscow amid escalating geopolitical tensions.
