Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republics has expressed their decision of severing every ties with Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, and therefore no longer a members. The three West African countries jointly made their decision to dump the regional government known this afternoon. Their statement during the pronouncement reads, “After 49 years, the valiant people of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger regretfully and with great disappointment observe that the ECOWAS organization has drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of the pan-Africans”
Although, in 2021, Mali was temporarily suspended from the ECOWAS after experiencing two coup de tat in one year.
ECOWAS had to impose sanctions on Mali that year thinking it will push the country back to democratic government and ECOWAS is yet to reverse that decision.
Burkina Faso received similar treatment in January, 2022 following a military coup led by Paul Henri Damiba, which overthrow the democratic government of President Roch Kabore by mutinying soldiers.
The decision of the exiting members was concluded during an extraordinary session to discuss military coups in Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Recently, Niger was the latest country to be sanction with suspension after a military coup lead by the head of the Presidential Guard, Abdourahamane Tchiani to overthrow the government of, Mohammed Bazoum on account of “worsening insecurity and bad governance.”
ECOWAS insisted that until constitutional government is restored, the country will remain suspended.
ECOWAS demanded that the junta leaders to shorten the duration of the transition period, currently pegged at three years by the military authority.
Though, the Junta leader agrees to the request of the ECOWAS delegation, but he fails to specify how long the transition period would take.
