Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali Announce Withdrawal From West Africa’s ECOWAS

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On September 16, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger signed a charter on the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States, a collective defense organization in a key area of the region, amid the members’ deteriorating relations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following the July coup in Niger.

Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, Mali’s Territorial Administration and Decentralization Minister, Government Spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga said on Sunday.

In a joint communique, the three countries explained that “the organization has not provided assistance to our States in the framework of our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity.”

The countries underlined with “great regret, bitterness and disappointment” that ECOWAS has “betrayed its founding principles” under the foreign influence.

“ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, has betrayed its founding principles, which has become a menace to its member states and its people, whose happiness it is supposed to ensure,” the document said.

Furthermore, ECOWAS didn’t provide help to Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in their fight against terrorism and insecurity but instead of it sanctioned the countries after the coups, according to the statement.

“[What’s even] worse [is that] when these States decided to take their destiny into their own hands, [ECOWAS] adopted an irrational and unacceptable posture by imposing illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions in violation of its own treaties; all of which have further weakened populations already battered by years of violence imposed by instrumentalized, teleguided terrorist hordes,” the communique read.

Thus, given the current situation, the heads of state decided to terminate the membership of their countries in the economic community.

“[The heads of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger], accepting their full responsibility before history and responding to the aspirations and concerns of their people, have decided without delay and in full sovereignty to withdraw Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States,” the document concluded.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are currently ruled by transitional military governments that came to power in the wake of the deteriorating security situation in the former French colonies.

After a coup in Niger that happened last July, ECOWAS threatened to use force if the rebels did not reinstate the ousted president. The organization also imposed sanctions on the nation, suspending military, financial, food and medical aid for the country, which the new Nigerien leadership called “inhuman” and “unjust.”

Mali and Burkina Faso faced similar punitive measures after the coups in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

According to an alliance of African non-governmental organizations that filed a lawsuit against ECOWAS last month, the bloc’s sanctions against the countries have resulted in the deaths of over 125,000 individuals, particularly affecting women and children.