West African bloc approves historic exit of military-run states
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ECOWAS has approved the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after their military governments refused to restore democratic rule, offering a six-month period for reconsideration while these countries form a new alliance, the AES. [AFP]
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved the withdrawal of three countries under military rule—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—from the bloc, while offering a six-month grace period for the states to reconsider their decision. These countries, which have refused ECOWAS’ demands to restore democratic rule, are set to exit the organization in January 2025. Their departure marks a significant blow to ECOWAS, which was established in 1975 as one of Africa’s most developed trade and political unions, aimed at improving economic and political integration within West Africa.
The decision comes as the three countries—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—assert their sovereignty and align themselves against ECOWAS’s calls for democratic governance. ECOWAS leaders met in Nigeria, where they accepted the decision of these nations but insisted on a six-month window for the military-run governments to reconsider their withdrawal. The period between January 29 and July 29, 2025, will allow the three countries to reverse their decision and return to the bloc, should they choose to do so.
The loss of these three countries will have a substantial impact on ECOWAS. The bloc, which currently encompasses 15 countries, will lose 76 million people, reducing its total population of 446 million. Additionally, the departure removes more than half of ECOWAS’s land area. ECOWAS leaders expressed their disappointment over the exit, describing it as “disheartening,” yet commended ongoing efforts to mediate a peaceful resolution. Despite this, the bloc’s leaders have yet to announce if they will impose restrictions on trade, goods, or people moving between the departing countries and the remaining ECOWAS members.
The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger is seen as a significant challenge to ECOWAS’s core mission of fostering regional unity, peace, and economic growth. As part of their exit, the three countries have formed a new alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), aimed at furthering cooperation among them. AES has already announced that citizens of ECOWAS member states would be granted visa-free travel and residency rights within the newly formed alliance, stressing that this move was made in the spirit of solidarity among African nations. The AES also aims to strengthen historical ties and cooperation in the region, despite their exit from ECOWAS.
However, the three countries—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—are some of the poorest and landlocked in the region, which means the majority of migrants from these nations typically move towards the more prosperous, coastal countries within West Africa. This fact raises questions about the long-term economic and social implications of their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
The transitional period offered by ECOWAS will allow the three states the time and opportunity to reconsider their stance and potentially rejoin the bloc. Meanwhile, diplomatic negotiations between ECOWAS and the three countries will continue, with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal and Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé leading efforts to mediate the situation. Despite these efforts, the military juntas in charge of the three countries remain firm in their decision, which they declared to be irreversible.
The tension between ECOWAS and these states has escalated since the military coups that took place in Mali in 2020, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023. ECOWAS condemned these coups, suspending the countries’ membership in a bid to encourage the restoration of civilian governance. However, the coup leaders, who have increasingly aligned themselves with Russia, have been defiant in their rejection of ECOWAS’s demands. They accuse the bloc of being overly influenced by Western powers and have pivoted towards Russia for support in combating the growing threat of jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel region. This shift in alliances highlights the complex geopolitical shifts occurring in West Africa, where Russia’s influence is steadily growing, especially in regions grappling with security challenges.
As ECOWAS continues its efforts to maintain stability and promote democratic governance in West Africa, the exit of these three countries underscores the growing challenges the regional organization faces in achieving its goals of unity and peace. With tensions running high, it remains to be seen whether the military juntas will reconsider their decision and rejoin the bloc, or if their departure will set a new precedent for the region’s political and security landscape. In the meantime, ECOWAS will likely face ongoing difficulties in balancing its core mission with the emerging geopolitical dynamics in West Africa.
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