ECOWAS officially initiates Mali’s withdrawal process

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has officially recorded the withdrawal of Mali from the organisation and initiated separation procedures. This decision follows Mali’s formal notification of its intention to leave the sub-regional organisation.

It is expected that same procedure will be initiated in the coming days or weeks with the other two states in the Sahel, Burkina Faso and Niger, who are also pulling out of the regional body.

In a correspondence addressed to the country’s minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Abdoulaye Diop, the president of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, informed that the Conference of Heads of State and Government, during its 66th session held in Abuja on December 15, 2024, took note of Mali’s decision to withdraw.

In accordance with article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaty, Mali will cease to be a member of the community as of January 29, 2025. The conference therefore instructed the president of the commission to initiate separation formalities with Mali from this date.

In order to carry out this separation, president Touray proposed a meeting of the technical teams of the two parties to initiate the necessary discussions. The date of this meeting will be agreed later by consultation.

The letter read; “With reference to Note Verbale No. 00063/MAECI-SG-D.Af dated 29 January 2024, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mali addressed to the ECOWAS Commission concerning the decision of the Malian authorities to withdraw the Republic of Mali from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), I have the honour to inform you of the following:

1. At its 66th session held in Abuja, Nigeria, on 15 December 2024, the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS took note that, in accordance with the provisions of Article 91 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, the Republic of Mali shall cease to be a member of the Community as of 29 January 2025.
2. To this end, the Authority instructed the President of the Commission to initiate the formalities of separation with the Republic of Mali as of January 29, 2025.

In view of the above, I would like to propose a meeting of our technical teams to initiate the necessary discussions. The date of this meeting may be agreed upon after consultation.

Pending your response to my proposal, I take this opportunity to renew to you, Excellency Mr. Minister and dear brother, the assurances of my highest consideration.

The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from ECOWAS, regional political and security analysts say, has already affected security in the region. A drop in cooperation in tackling terrorism in the Sahel, considered a result of accusations and counter-accusations between some ECOWAS members and the AES, has been observed and this may have contributed to a spike in attacks by extremist groups.

In late December, for instance, Niger accused Nigeria of covertly working with France to destabilise the country. Nigeria’s national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, responded by telling BBC Hausa that the allegations were “baseless” and “false”.

Some other Ecowas members appear sympathetic to the position of AES military leaders, raising prospects that some countries will maintain cordial relations with the Alliance.

Senegal’s president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s policies has align with those of the AES leaders. He has announced that his government will evict all French military forces stationed in the country. He has also advocated for the abolition of the CFA franc, a currency used in eight west African countries that is controlled by the French treasury, a proposal that has been one of the key demands of the Sahelian states.

Many have voiced their concerns about the economic and security implications of the decision by the three states.