The three countries announced their decision in a joint statement simultaneously on their national television channels. However, ECOWAS said it had not yet received any official notification of their withdrawal.
Defense chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries, excluding Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Niger, gather for their extraordinary meeting in Accra, Ghana, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, to discuss the situation in Niger. Photo: AP
The bloc has previously said it does not recognise the military governments in the three countries, and pledged that coups would no longer be tolerated following military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea as well as an attempted coup in Guinea-Bissau.
Since the coups and despite sanctions, negotiations and threats of military intervention, military leaders have failed to provide a clear timetable for a return to constitutional rule.
Instead, they have taken a hard line against the bloc, accusing it of being influenced by outside forces. All three have also cut military and other ties with France and turned to Russia for security support.
Military leaders argue they want to restore security before holding elections, as the three Sahel countries are struggling to contain insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS).
“After 49 years, the brave peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are deeply saddened and disappointed to see that the organization (ECOWAS) has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism,” said Colonel Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the Niger government, in a statement.
“In particular, the organization has failed to support countries in their fight for survival against terrorism and insecurity,” Abdramane added.
Under the bloc’s treaty, member states that want to withdraw must give a year’s written notice. It is unclear whether the three countries will do so. The treaty says they must continue to abide by its terms during the year-long period.
Mai Van (according to Reuters, AP)
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