The military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger yesterday announced their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, saying it had become a threat to member states.
The ECOWAS Commission, however, said the community is ready for a “negotiated solution” with the three countries
But the Presidency in its immediate reaction yesterday, said the three countries were technically not members of ECOWAS, since they were on suspension.
Leaders of the three Sahel nations issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the ECOWAS “without delay”.
Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had tense ties with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
All three, founding members of the bloc in 1975, were suspended from ECOWAS with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions as the bloc tried to push for early return of civilian governments with elections.
The sanctions were an “irrational and unacceptable posture” at a time when the three “have decided to take their destiny in hand”, a reference to the coups that removed civilian administrations.
The three nations have hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an “Alliance of Sahel States”.
The leaders’ joint statement added that 15-member ECOWAS, “under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, had become a threat to member states and peoples.
They accused the grouping of failing to help them tackle jihadists, who swept into Mali from 2012 and then on to Burkina Faso and Niger.
Under pressure from the military regimes, France has removed ambassadors and troops and watched Russia fill the void militarily and politically.
The military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger yesterday announced their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, saying it had become a threat to member states.
The ECOWAS Commission, however, said the community is ready for a “negotiated solution” with the three countries
But the Presidency in its immediate reaction yesterday, said the three countries were technically not members of ECOWAS, since they were on suspension.
Leaders of the three Sahel nations issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the ECOWAS “without delay”.
Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had tense ties with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
All three, founding members of the bloc in 1975, were suspended from ECOWAS with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions as the bloc tried to push for early return of civilian governments with elections.
The sanctions were an “irrational and unacceptable posture” at a time when the three “have decided to take their destiny in hand”, a reference to the coups that removed civilian administrations.
The three nations have hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an “Alliance of Sahel States”.
The leaders’ joint statement added that 15-member ECOWAS, “under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, had become a threat to member states and peoples.
They accused the grouping of failing to help them tackle jihadists, who swept into Mali from 2012 and then on to Burkina Faso and Niger.
Under pressure from the military regimes, France has removed ambassadors and troops and watched Russia fill the void militarily and politically.
The French army’s withdrawal from the Sahel, the region along the Sahara desert across Africa, has heightened concerns over conflicts spreading southward to Gulf of Guinea states — Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast.
The prime minister appointed by Niger’s regime had accused ECOWAS of “bad faith” after the bloc largely shunned a planned meeting in Niamey.
Niger had hoped for an opportunity to talk through differences with fellow states of ECOWAS, which has cold-shouldered Niamey, imposing heavy economic and financial sanctions following the military coup that overthrew elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
Niger’s military leaders, wrestling with high food prices and a scarcity of medicines, have said they want up to three years for a transition back to civilian rule. In Mali, the ruling officers under Colonel Assimi Goita had pledged to hold elections in February this year, but that has now been pushed back to an unknown date.
Burkina Faso, which has not been put under sanctions although Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in September 2022, has set elections for this summer, but says the fight against insurgents remains top priority.
Reacting to the development yesterday, the ECOWAS Commission said in a statement: “The attention of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission) has been drawn to a statement broadcast on the national television of Mali and Niger announcing the decision of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS.
“The ECOWAS Commission is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the three member states about their intention to withdraw rom the community. However, the ECOWAS Commission, as directed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government has been working assiduously with these countries for the restoration of constitutional order.
“Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali remain important members of the community and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse.
“The ECOWAS Commission remains seized with the development and shall make further pronouncement as the situation evolves.”
In its reaction yesterday, the Presidency said the three contries were technically not members of ECOWAS, having been suspended by the body.
It also explained that the suspension order, which was slammed on the countries before President Bola Tinubu took over the leadership of the regional bloc, was a result of the coup d’etat in the countries that illegally removed democratically elected government.
A Presidency source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, however, said the ECOWAS Secretariat and the Minister of Foreign Affairs were in a better position to give clarity to the development.
The Presidency source said: “Mali and Burkina Faso were suspended before Mr. President became chairman of ECOWAS. Niger was the last one and you know the reason they were suspended.
“They were removing the elected legally/legitimate government via coup d’etat. So that is why they were suspended. So technically, I don’t know why people are worried about this.
“Technically, those countries are no longer members of ECOWAS as at today because their memberships have been suspended. So, when they said they are leaving, they are not members because they are serving suspension.
‘’So, it is just superfluous; they had left. There will be reaction from the ECOWAS Secretariat. ECOWAS will react appropriately because I remember on Thursday, a delegation of ECOWAS, a ministerial committee of ECOWAS, was supposed to go to Niger but they didn’t go because there was a flight problem. “Like I said, the main reaction will come from the ECOWAS Secretariat and our Minister of Foreign Affairs.” However, the minister could not be reached yesterday as calls and text messages sent to his mobile phone remained unreplied.
Vanguard
