Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso Officially Withdraw from ECOWAS
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have officially withdrawn from ECOWAS, effective immediately. The regional bloc urged member states to maintain privileges for the departing nations. This marks a historical first for ECOWAS, which previously struggled with diminishing support from its citizens due to perceived elitism.
The military-led governments of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have formally announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as confirmed by the organization on Wednesday. This exit, first declared a year ago, has been made official today, wherein ECOWAS has urged its member states to continue extending membership privileges to the departing nations, including access to free movement within the region through an ECOWAS passport.
ECOWAS, established in 1975, aims at fostering economic integration among its member countries but has faced challenges in recent years, especially amid a surge of coups and governance issues in West Africa. The bloc is currently viewed as losing relevance among the populace, who feel it primarily serves the interests of political leaders rather than their own needs.
The withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso marks a significant shift in ECOWAS’s history, being the first instance of such a departure among its member states over its 50-year existence. The emergence of these nations’ own security alliance reflects a growing trend of disillusionment with ECOWAS’s effectiveness and highlights the pressing need for reform to regain public trust.
Original Source: news.az
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