ECOWAS stamps withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso

…sets January 29, 2025, as exit commencement

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has officially approved the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc.

The decision was taken by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

The decision was reached at the end of the 66th Ordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and ECOWAS Commission.

The three countries will formally cease to be members of ECOWAS on January 29, 2025.

According to reports, the decision is in accordance with Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaty.

A transitional phase of between fmJanuary 29 to July 29, 2025, is expected to help ECOWAS focus on preparing for the separation.

In the meantime, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers will convene an extraordinary session in mid-2025 to finalize separation modalities.

“The part of the communique I’ll be reading relates to the decision of the Republic of Mali, the Republic of Niger, and Burkina Faso, to withdraw from ECOWAS.

In January 2024, the three countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger accused the regional bloc of deviating from its foundational ideals and succumbing to external influences, particularly criticising the imposition of sanctions aimed at reversing their respective coups.

There were coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023.

The nations were suspended from ECOWAS following the coups.