Rulers Vow To Quit As ECOWAS Holds 66th Ordinary Summit

Ahead of the meeting, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger reiterated their decision to leave ECOWAS, calling it “irreversible.” They criticized the bloc for being overly aligned with France, their former colonial ruler.

The departure of these three countries could significantly impact regional free trade, movement, and security cooperation, particularly as jihadist groups continue to gain ground across the Sahel.

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was appointed by ECOWAS in July as a mediator with the breakaway states, will attend the summit in Abuja, Nigeria.

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Faye indicated last week that he had made progress in discussions with the three countries, expressing optimism that they could maintain relations, especially given the region’s security challenges.

According to ECOWAS regulations, the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will officially take effect in January 2025, one year after their announcement.

The three nations have also formed their own alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), after severing ties with France and shifting towards Russia.

Although the breakaway states have not confirmed attendance at the Abuja summit, they held a separate ministerial meeting in Niamey, Niger, on Friday.

In a joint statement, they reaffirmed their commitment to leaving ECOWAS and emphasized their determination to proceed with the process in a way that serves the best interests of their people.

The three countries have all experienced military coups and are grappling with jihadist insurgencies. Guinea, another ECOWAS member, is also under military rule following a 2021 coup.

Tensions with ECOWAS heightened after the bloc threatened military intervention and imposed heavy sanctions on Niger following the July 2023 coup — the sixth in the region in three years.

Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé has also been involved in mediation efforts with the Sahel nations.

Earlier in the year, ECOWAS eased some sanctions on Niger in an attempt to revive dialogue, particularly regarding the situation of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since the coup.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s top military commander met with Niger’s army chief to strengthen security cooperation, including communication and collaboration on a multi-national task force along their shared border.

Since a 2021 coup, Guinea has been governed by General Mamady Doumbouya, who was later sworn in as president.

Although Guinea’s military leaders had promised to hold elections by the end of 2024 under ECOWAS pressure, they have since admitted that they will not meet this deadline.