Following their decision in December 2023 to form their confederation, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have all announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
All three countries, which coup-born governments lead, share anti-western ideals and have opted to govern based on their ideologies.
The presidents of these three nations issued a statement that relayed their departure from the West African regional group, ECOWAS.
In the statement, they noted that the decision to leave the Economic Community of West African States “without delay” was “sovereign.”
These states, established by coups, have subsequently become the group’s stepchildren, facing sanctions and ultimatums. Their rejection of Western ideals and acceptance of Russian sentiments, particularly in the case of Burkina Faso, has also raised a few eyebrows.
In response, these three nations have faced international sanctions, including their removal from the U.S. AGOA trade and the World Bank halting disbursements to Niger.
Seeing as these three nations share a similar path, this is not the first time they have jointly made a contentious decision.
In December 2023, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger suggested the formation of a confederation as a first step toward their long-term goal of forming a federation of West African neighbours.
