The military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have recently announced their immediate withdrawal from the West African bloc, ECOWAS.
In a joint statement, the leaders of these three Sahel nations emphasized that their decision to leave the Economic Community of West African States was a “sovereign decision” that would be implemented “without delay.”
These countries have been grappling with challenges such as jihadist violence and poverty, which have strained their relations with ECOWAS since the occurrence of coups in Niger in July 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Mali in 2020.
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As a result, all three nations were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali facing significant sanctions. In recent months, these regimes have taken a firm stance and formed an “Alliance of Sahel States.”
The withdrawal of French military forces from the Sahel region, which stretches across Africa along the Sahara desert, has raised concerns about the potential spread of conflicts to Gulf of Guinea states like Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.
The prime minister appointed by Niger’s military regime expressed dissatisfaction with ECOWAS, accusing the bloc of “bad faith” after it largely disregarded a planned meeting in Niamey.
Niger had hoped for an opportunity to address differences with fellow ECOWAS member states. However, the bloc responded by imposing severe economic and financial sanctions in response to the military coup that ousted elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
While the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS marks a significant development in the region, it remains to be seen how this decision will impact the political and economic dynamics within West Africa.
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