Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announce their withdrawal from ECOWAS

2024-01-28 14:28:37
The prime ministers of Burkina Faso, Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla (left), of Niger, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine (center), and of Mali, Choguel Kokalla Maiga (right), in Niamey, December 29, 2023. HAMIDOU MOUSSA / REUTERS

In a joint press release released on Sunday January 28, the military regimes in power in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their withdrawal, with immediate effect, from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This sub-regional organization was until now composed of fifteen members.

The respective leaders of the three Sahelian states, “taking all their responsibilities in the face of history and responding to the expectations, concerns and aspirations of their populations, decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of African States West “said the press release read on the state media of these countries.

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Coups

The three countries, faced with similar problems of insecurity, jihadism and poverty, have, since the military seized power by force, in 2020 in Mali, in 2022 in Burkina Faso and in 2023 in Niger, strained relations with ECOWAS.

ECOWAS is trying to stem coups and push for the return of civilians to power as quickly as possible. In particular, it took heavy sanctions in this regard against Mali and Niger and went so far as to threaten to use force in the latter country. It suspended the three countries from its organs.

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At the end of December, the three regimes announced their desire to strengthen their cooperation, then attacking ECOWAS. “If our people say “we want to be governed by a military man”, why are we going to refuse him? Why should ECOWAS have an eye on how we should govern ourselves? »notably questioned the Burkinabé Prime Minister, Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla, during a joint press conference with his Malian and Nigerien counterparts on December 30 in Niamey.

The World with AFP