The Economic Community of West African States on Sunday, in reaction to the immediate withdrawal from the West African bloc, deeming it a threat to member states, the bloc said that it was ready for “a negotiated solution” with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The Informant247 had earlier gathered that in a surprising move, the military regimes of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have jointly announced their immediate withdrawal from the West African bloc ECOWAS, deeming it a threat to member states.
The Sahel nations, grappling with jihadist violence and poverty, cited a “sovereign decision” to leave the Economic Community of West African States without delay.
Tensions between the regimes and ECOWAS escalated after coups in Niger (July 2022), Burkina Faso (2022), and Mali (2020).
However, the bloc, while reacting, stated that the three countries are “important members of the community,” and the bloc “remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse,” said ECOWAS in a statement, adding that it had “yet to receive any direct formal notification” from the countries about their withdrawal.
Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had tense ties with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
AFP