The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will begin the process to formally withdraw Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc on January 29, 2025.
A six-month transition period has been set, running until July 29, 2025, to implement the withdrawal protocols.
Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, shared this update at the conclusion of the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
This decision comes after the one-year statutory period ended since the three countries initially announced their intention to withdraw.
Article 91 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty requires any member state planning to leave the bloc to officially notify the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
The withdrawal is not immediate. The country must wait one year from the date of its notice before the process is complete.
This one-year waiting period allows the withdrawing country to resolve any financial or legal obligations it has with ECOWAS or its related institutions.
In response, Touray stated, “The authority acknowledges the notification from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger about their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS.
He added, “As outlined in Article 91 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, the three countries will officially stop being members of ECOWAS on January 29, 2025.
The authority has set a transitional period from January 29, 2025, to July 29, 2025, during which ECOWAS will keep its doors open to the three withdrawing countries.
The bloc also extended the mandates of Senegalese President Bassirou Faye and Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, who have been leading mediation efforts with the three nations since June 2024.
Touray explained, “The authority extends the mandate of President Gnassingbé of Togo and President Faye of Senegal to continue their mediation roles until the end of the transition period, with the goal of bringing the three countries back to ECOWAS.” He also thanked both presidents for their efforts over the past year.
The ECOWAS Authority also directed the President of the Commission to begin the withdrawal process after the January 29, 2025 deadline and to prepare a backup plan covering various sectors.
Additionally, the Council of Ministers was tasked with holding a special meeting in the second quarter of 2025 to discuss and approve the withdrawal plan and backup plan. These plans will outline the political and economic relationship between ECOWAS and Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
Reason for withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso
In January 2024, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS, accusing the bloc of straying from its founding principles and yielding to external pressures. They also criticized the sanctions imposed to reverse their military coups.
The decision came after military takeovers in Mali (2020 and 2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023), which led to their suspension from ECOWAS and worsened relations with the bloc.
In response, the three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a regional group focused on defense and mutual support. They have distanced themselves from traditional Western allies, especially France, while strengthening ties with Russia.
By September 2024, Burkina Faso introduced a new biometric passport without the ECOWAS emblem, signaling further separation from the bloc.
Meanwhile, during a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the State House last Tuesday, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to resolving the political crisis through diplomacy, ensuring that ordinary citizens do not suffer for the actions of military governments.
As of December 2024, the ECOWAS member states still include Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.