Niger, Mali And Burkina Faso Leave West Africa Regional Bloc ECOWAS

DAKAR (Senegal), Jan 29 (Bernama-dpa) – The Sahel states of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are officially leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday after 50 years, reported German news agency dpa.

The withdrawal from the regional economic bloc ECOWAS, which the three junta-led countries decided on a year ago, is now in effect despite several attempts at mediation.

This means that around 73 million people are leaving one of the largest regional economic communities in Africa, which had consisted of 15 countries and whose aim is to promote economic co-operation between the member states to raise the standard of living.

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Relations between the three countries and the bloc have been severely strained since military coups in Mali (2021), Burkina Faso (2022) and Niger (2023).

Bamako, Ouagadougou and Niamey accuse ECOWAS, which criticised the coups and imposed sanctions, of being influenced by the interests of France, a former colonial power. Amid the tensions, they have increasingly turned to Russia.

The departure of the three from the bloc more than halves its area. The countries, however, represent just under 17 per cent of the approximately 440 million inhabitants in the region and contribute about 8 per cent of the common economic output. 

The three countries are among the 10 least developed in the world despite their enormous natural resources, such as gold and uranium, which are mostly mined by European and North American companies.

Millennia-old trade routes, which run through the region are used, among other things, to smuggle people and drugs towards Europe. 

All three countries are also grappling with terrorist groups.

-- BERNAMA-dpa