Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger officially exit regional bloc ECOWAS as notice expires

Three West African countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – have officially left the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday, following the expiration of a one-year notice period.

Their decision to withdraw was announced in January 2024, citing dissatisfaction with the bloc's increasing ties to France.

In a statement, ECOWAS acknowledged the departure, but in the spirit of regional solidarity, asked its member states to continue recognising the national passports and identity cards of citizens from the three countries, as long as they bear the ECOWAS logo.

The regional bloc also called for the continued treatment of goods and services from these countries in line with the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and investment policy.

ECOWAS also outlined additional measures to ensure the ongoing cooperation between the remaining members and the three departing nations.

These measures include allowing the citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to continue enjoying the right of visa-free movement, residence, and establishment in other ECOWAS countries until further notice.

Await full determination

ECOWAS emphasised that these arrangements would remain in place until the full determination of future engagements with the three countries.

"The commission has set up a structure to facilitate discussions on these modalities with each of the three countries," the statement read.

The regional bloc reassured the public that these steps were necessary to avoid confusion and disruptions during the transition period.

The departure of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger has fractured the regional bloc, leaving ECOWAS with an uncertain future.

ECOWAS, which has historically been a key player in regional security and economic cooperation, now faces the challenge of adjusting to this new alignment in West Africa.

The three departing countries have also made it clear that they no longer wish to align themselves with the ECOWAS model, which they view as too reliant on foreign powers and not focused enough on the needs of the Sahel region.

In Niger's capital, Niamey, thousands of people, led by members of the military regime, gathered to mark the formal departure from ECOWAS.

The military junta, which took power in a coup earlier in 2024, has shown strong support for the exit and continues to seek closer ties with countries outside of ECOWAS' influence.

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