On Sunday, the junta leaders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as per their joint declaration released on national television. This announcement comes in light of their accusations towards ECOWAS for having violated its founding principles, thus endangering its member states and allegedly being manipulated by external powers.
The political fraternity of these nations justified their disassociation from ECOWAS by categorizing the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on them following their military seizures as “illegal, illegitimate, inhumane, and irresponsible.” Moreover, they subsequently announced the instant exit of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from being members of ECOWAS.
On Sunday, ECOWAS responded that although they have not yet received any official notice of withdrawal from these three nations, they remain as “important members of the Community.” Furthermore, they assured their commitment to stay updated with the situation and promised to make appropriate statements as the circumstances continue to evolve. It is worth noticing that ECOWAS is a regional economic cooperation bloc established in 1975 by 15 West African countries, in which Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso were founding members.
According to Article 91 of the Revised Treaty of ECOWAS, a member is obliged to notify their intention to withdraw from the community to the Executive Secretary with a prior notice of a year. During this period, the member state is still required to comply with the stipulations and be liable for the responsibilities under the Treaty.
Last year, military coups occurred in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The pre-existing elected governments were usurped by military juntas, who declared themselves as the new leaders of their respective nations. In response to these unconstitutional takeovers, ECOWAS declared economic sanctions on these countries, demanding the restoration of constitutional order. In August 2023, ECOWAS rejected a proposal by Niger’s military junta to hold elections within three years. These juntas, in response, labeled ECOWAS’s stance on the political conflicts as “irrational and unacceptable.”
For more details on this matter, visit the original JURIST report.