On January 28, 2024, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger jointly announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stating that the institution had strayed from its original ideals, imposed unjust sanctions on their people, and was influenced by foreign powers. They also declared that this decision would take immediate effect.
Shortly after this announcement, ECOWAS responded by stating that it had not yet received a formal notification and was determined to find a negotiated solution to the political impasse affecting these military-led countries.
This Monday, reliable sources confirmed that Burkina Faso had officially sent a notification to ECOWAS to confirm its withdrawal.
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It is worth recalling that Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger had established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023 to defend their common strategic interests, while ECOWAS had been considering a military intervention in Niger to restore President Mohamed Bazoum, who was overthrown by General Abdourahamane Tiani.
This withdrawal by Burkina Faso, along with that of Mali and Niger, poses a challenge for ECOWAS, which is seeking a negotiated solution to resolve the political tensions in these countries. The consequences of this decision on regional cooperation and political stability in the sub-region remain to be seen.
MAGNAWOE Koudjo
