The military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have announced their instant withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The leaders of the three nations recently issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the ECOWAS “without delay”.
Battling jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had broken ties with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger in 2023, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
The three nations were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions.
They hardened their positions in recent months and teamed up in an “Alliance of Sahel States”.
A French military withdrawal from the has increased concerns over the conflicts spreading southward to the Gulf of Guinea states Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.
The Prime Minister appointed by Niger’s military regime recently slammed ECOWAS for “bad faith” after the bloc shunned a planned meeting in Niamey.
Niger had hoped for a chance to talk through differences with fellow states of ECOWAS, which has snubbed Niamey, imposing heavy economic and financial sanctions after the military coup that overthrew elected President, Mohamed Bazoum.
