The military regimes in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The countries’ military regimes announced withdrawal from the regional bloc on Sunday in a joint statement read out on Niger national television.
According to Wion News, the leaders of the three Sahel nations issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the Economic Community of West African States “without delay”.
“After 49 years, the valiant peoples 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 Pan-Africanism,” Colonel Amadou Abdramane, Niger junta spokesman, said in the statement.
“The organization notably failed to assist these states in their existential fight against terrorism and insecurity,” Abdramane added.
In September 2023, the three countries signed a mutual defence pact to assist one another against armed rebellion or external aggression.
The charter – Alliance of Sahel States – binds the countries to assist one another – including militarily should there be an attack against one of them.
Mali’s military leader Assimi Goita said on his X social media account, “I have today signed with the Heads of State of Burkina Faso and Niger the Liptako-Gourma charter establishing the Alliance of Sahel States, with the aim of establishing a collective defence and mutual assistance framework.”
Following a military coup in Niger last July, ECOWAS imposed sanctions on the country and threatened military action.
The statement reads:
JOINT COMMUNIQUE FROM BURKINA FASO THE REPUBLIC OF MALI AND THE REPUBLIC OF NIGER
Eager to achieve integration between the States of the sub-region and driven by the ideals de of brotherhood, solidarity, mutual aid, peace and development, Their Excellencies General Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana, General Moussa Traoré and Lieutenant Colonel Seyni Kountché, respectively Heads of State of Upper Volta (current Burkina Faso), Mali and Niger, created with twelve (12) of their peers, on May 28, 1975, in Lagos, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
After 49 years of existence, the valiant people of Burkina, Mali and Niger note with much regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their Organization has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism . Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its populations whose happiness it is supposed to ensure.
Indeed, the organization has not provided assistance to our States in the context of our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity; worse, when these States decided to take their destiny into their own hands, it adopted an irrational and unacceptable posture by imposing illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions in violation of its own texts; all things which have further weakened populations already bruised by years of violence imposed by instrumentalized and remote-controlled terrorist hordes.
Faced with this continuing situation, Their Excellencies, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Colonel Assimi Goïta and Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, respectively Heads of State of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, 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 West African States.
Done in Ouagadougou, Bamako and Niamey, January 28,
