Rabat – Junta-led countries Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso officially left the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as of Wednesday, severing ties after more than a year of diplomatic tensions.
The formal withdrawal was announced by the Nigeria-based regional bloc in a statement on Wednesday, amid a series of coups, struggles with Muslim armed groups, and competition between Russia and the West for influence in the region.
“The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger from ECOWAS has become effective today, 29th January 2025,” the ECOWAS statement read.
ECOWAS acknowledged the departure but stated that “the doors remain open for dialogue.”
The bloc now faces uncertainty, with three of its members gone and its influence in the region diminished.
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The situation escalated after the coup in Niger in July 2023, when ECOWAS threatened military intervention to reinstate the ousted president and imposed harsh economic sanctions on Niamey, later lifting them.
This deepened the rift between the organization and the military-led governments.
Citizens from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso retain “the right to free movement, residence, and establishment without a visa” in ECOWAS territories, the statement says.
Trade and service exchanges between the former members and ECOWAS countries will continue under existing regulations of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ELTS).
These measures will remain in place until a new framework defines future relations with the three nations.
In 2023, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso signed a mutual defense agreement, and in June of 2024, they officially formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as a confederation.
Their leaders accuse ECOWAS of siding with foreign powers, particularly France, and of failing to support them in fighting jihadist insurgencies.
France, once a dominant presence in the region, has lost favor with these three governments, which now seek stronger partnerships with Russia, Turkiye, and Iran.
