On Sunday, the military regimes of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger jointly declared their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The leaders of the three Sahel nations conveyed this decision in a collective statement, asserting that their departure from ECOWAS was a “sovereign decision” to be executed promptly.
All three nations had previously been suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali subjected to substantial sanctions. In this recent development, the military juntas have adopted a more assertive stance and have united in what they term an “Alliance of Sahel States.”
Niger had initially sought an opportunity for dialogue with fellow ECOWAS states, as Niamey faced substantial economic and financial sanctions following the military coup that ousted elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
The joint statement expressed regret, bitterness, and disappointment with ECOWAS, citing a departure from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism. The military regimes accused ECOWAS of betraying its founding principles and becoming a threat to its member states and populations. The statement criticized ECOWAS for not offering assistance in the fight against terrorism and insecurity, and when the member states took independent actions, ECOWAS allegedly responded with irrational and unacceptable sanctions that violated its own regulations. These actions were viewed as further weakening populations already affected by years of violence orchestrated by external forces.