Sahel Nations: Military Regimes Exit ECOWAS, Citing Neglect in Counterterrorism Efforts

The military regimes in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have jointly declared their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Aso Naija Reports.

On Sunday, January 28, the leaders of these Sahel nations made a televised announcement, stating that their departure from the regional bloc was a “sovereign decision” and would be implemented promptly.

In a statement read out on Niger national television, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, the spokesperson for the Niger junta, expressed regret and disappointment, saying that after 49 years, the peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger felt that ECOWAS had deviated from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism.

Abdramane specifically pointed out that the organization had failed to provide adequate assistance in their ongoing struggle against terrorism and insecurity.

Tensions between the military regimes and ECOWAS have been strained since the coups occurred in Niger in July 2023, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Mali in 2020.

Following the military coup in Niger last July, ECOWAS imposed sanctions on the country and even threatened military intervention.

Consequently, all three countries were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali being subjected to significant sanctions.

In September 2023, the three nations signed a mutual defense pact called the Alliance of Sahel States, aimed at supporting each other in the face of armed rebellion or external aggression. This charter binds the countries to provide assistance to one another, including military support in the event of an attack against any of them.

Mali’s military leader, Assimi Goita, announced the establishment of the Alliance on his social media account, emphasizing the goal of creating a collective defense and mutual assistance framework in the Liptako-Gourma region.