Mali, Burkina Faso And Niger Withdraw From ECOWAS

—You are being Controlled by foreign powers- Juntas accuse ECOWAS

—We are yet to receive any formal notification about your withdrawal – ECOWAS replies

Yesterday, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic shocked the sub-region by announcing their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing foreign influence over the bloc’s decisions.

In a joint statement signed by the three countries, currently under military rule, ECOWAS was accused of straying from the principles set by its founders over nearly 50 years.Founded in 1975, ECOWAS aimed to foster economic integration across various sectors including industry, transportation, energy, and more.

The trio accused ECOWAS of neglecting their fight against terrorism and rising insecurity, despite the organization’s efforts to address security challenges in the region through peacekeeping initiatives.

The decision to withdraw, announced on national television, emphasized ECOWAS’s alleged betrayal of its founding principles and its transformation into a threat to member states, driven by foreign interests.

The communiqué read, “Eager to achieve integration between the States of the sub-region and driven by the ideals of fraternity, solidarity, mutual aid, peace and development, their Excellencies, Gen. Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana, Gen. Moussa Traoré, and Lieutenant – Colonel Seyni Kountché, respectively, Heads of State of Upper Volta (current Burkina Faso), Mali and Niger, created with 12 of their peers, on May 28, 1975, in Lagos, the Economic Community of States of West Africa (ECOWAS).

“After 49 years of existence, the valiant people of Burkina, Mali and Niger note with great regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their organisation has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and from 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.”

The military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger were partly fueled by frustration over the inability to combat Islamist insurgencies in the Sahel region.

The joint communiqué highlighted the failure of ECOWAS to support the member states in their fight against terrorism and condemned the imposition of sanctions deemed illegal and inhumane.

ECOWAS in response in a brief statement, stated that it had not received any formal notification of the withdrawal from the three member states, emphasizing its ongoing efforts to restore constitutional order in the affected countries.

“The ECOWAS Commission is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the three Member States about their intention to withdraw from the Community.

“The commission is working with the three countries to ensure the return of constitutional order.

“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 pronouncements as the situation evolves.”