The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, for the first time since its existence, witnessed an abrupt pull out of three countries at the same time yesterday, as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced their exit.
These countries did so on the grounds that after 49 years, the bloc no longer pursues the interests of its people but is influenced by foreign powers. They also criticised ECOWAS over the sanctions imposed on them as part of efforts to reverse the coups in their countries.
The joint statement reads: “After 49 years of existence, the valiant people of Burkina, Mali and Niger note with much regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their organisation has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism.
“Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its populations whose happiness it is supposed to ensure.
“Indeed, the organisation has not provided assistance to our States in the context of our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity; worse, when these States decided to take their destiny into their own hands, it adopted an irrational and unacceptable posture by imposing illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions in violation of its own texts; all things which have further weakened populations already bruised by years of violence imposed by instrumentalised and remote-controlled terrorist hordes.
“Faced with this continuing situation, Their Excellencies, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Colonel Assimi Goïta and Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, respectively Heads of State of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, taking all their responsibilities in the face of history and responding to the expectations, concerns and aspirations of their populations, decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States.”
Note that Mauritania was the first country to quit the Bloc in December 2000, after giving one-year notice in December 1999. They, however, rejoined in December 2019.
Yesterday’s announcement of the withdrawal of Mali, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ‘with immediate effect’ has sent shock waves across the region and beyond, with top diplomats, stakeholders and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) stating that Nigeria and the West African bloc will be the greatest losers.
Amid infiltration and inferences from Western powers, especially the United States of America (USA) and Russia, with a huge presence of Wagner Brothers fighters in the region, military leaders of the three countries expressed their defiance stance to ECOWAS in a broadcast message in Mali.
The countries cited alleged injustice of sanctions ECOWAS levied on each of them following takeovers by their military juntas. Leaders of the three nations issued a statement stating that it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the ECOWAS without delay.
The regimes of these countries have had tense ties with ECOWAS since coups occurred in Mali in 2020, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger in July 2023. This is concurrent with their struggles with jihadist violence and poverty.
All three have though been suspended from ECOWAS with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions. They have, however, with their joint forces in an “Alliance of Sahel States” few months ago hardened their positions.
In addition, French military withdrawal from the Sahel has heightened concerns over the conflicts spreading southward to Gulf of Guinea states like Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast.
