West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, has approved an exit timeline for Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, following nearly a year of mediation efforts to prevent the disintegration of the 15-nation grouping.
In a historic move, the military juntas of these three nations announced in January their decision to leave ECOWAS, citing the bloc’s “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coups and its failure to address their internal security crises.
Security consultant Patrick Agbambu stated that while threats and ultimatums are unlikely to reverse their decisions, dialogue and compromise are essential. He emphasized that these countries are vital to the region’s economy and security.
Despite ECOWAS’ repeated attempts to reverse their withdrawal, the three nations have largely resisted. They have started exploring options for issuing travel documents independently of the bloc and are working to form their own alliance. The one-year exit notice is expected to conclude in January.
One significant benefit of ECOWAS membership is visa-free movement across member states. It remains unclear how this will change once the three countries officially exit the bloc.