Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announce immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS.
The coup-founded states have faced sanctions as they reject Western ideals within the regional group.
The leaders of these 3 nations assert their departure as a prompt and independent decision.
The presidents of these three nations issued a statement that relayed their departure from the West African regional group Ecowas.
In the statement, they noted that the decision to leave the Economic Community of West African States “without delay” was “sovereign.”
These states, all of which were established by coups, have subsequently become the group’s stepchildren, facing sanctions and ultimatums. Their rejection of Western ideals and acceptance of Russian sentiments particularly in the case of Burkina Faso, has also raised a few eye brows.
In response, these three nations have faced international sanctions including their removal from the U.S. AGOA trade, and the World Bank halting disbursements to Niger.
Seeing as these three nations share a similar path, this is not the first time they have jointly made a contentious decision.
In December 2023, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger suggested the formation of a confederation as a first step toward their long-term goal of forming a federation of West African neighbors.
Recent rifts with the west
These three nations to varying degrees have all had their own skirmishes with the west, within the last year. Mali sent away the French troops within its borders in August 2022. Niger and Burkina Faso, also experienced a similar debacle with French troops exiting both nations last year.
