Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali not following withdrawal rules – ECOWAS

Abuja, Nigeria – The West African regional bloc ECOWAS convened on Thursday to address the departure of military-ruled Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, stating that the three nations failed to adhere to withdrawal rules, posing a threat to decades of regional integration.

The self-appointed military leaders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso jointly announced on January 28 that they were leaving the political and economic bloc. The decision followed pressure from ECOWAS to restore constitutional order after a series of coups. The departure of these countries raises concerns about further weakening ECOWAS, which has grappled with the erosion of democracy in West Africa since the military takeover in Mali in 2020.

ECOWAS Commission president Omar Touray, in his opening remarks during the mediation and security council meeting in Abuja, stated, “The hasty decision of withdrawal of membership of ECOWAS did not take into account the conditions for withdrawal.” He added, “But more importantly, the three member states have not really reflected on the implications of this decision on the citizens.” Touray did not specify which conditions had been ignored.

According to ECOWAS rules, member states wishing to withdraw must provide a written one-year notice. Although the three countries initially did so after their announcement, the juntas later stated on Wednesday that they planned to leave “without delay,” asserting that they did not feel bound by treaty terms. They accused ECOWAS of violating its own texts by imposing excessively punitive sanctions, including border closures, in response to the coups.

ECOWAS's Touray mentioned that the bloc had prepared two memoranda on their departure, including an analysis of the implications for member states and the wider community. Additionally, a document was prepared on Senegal, where the postponement of the February 25 election to December raised concerns about regional peace and stability.

The council initiated a closed session after the opening remarks to deliberate on a collective response to both the departure of the three countries and the electoral crisis in Senegal.