By Umar Yakubu,
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s military regimes jointly declared their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS, citing it as a “sovereign decision”.
The strained relations between the Sahel nations and ECOWAS, exacerbated by recent coups, led to their suspension and heavy sanctions. The three nations, grappling with jihadist violence and poverty, solidified their stance by forming an ‘Alliance of Sahel States.’
In response to a French military pullout from the Sahel, concerns are mounting over potential conflicts spreading southward toward Gulf of Guinea states like Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.
The appointment of a prime minister by Niger’s military regime faced criticism for ECOWAS’s perceived ‘bad faith,’ especially after the bloc largely avoided a planned meeting in Niamey.
ECOWAS has maintained a cold shoulder toward Niamey, imposing substantial economic and financial sanctions following the military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.”