Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, in a joint statement have officially announced their withdrawal from the ECOWAS.
According to a statement by Colonel Amadou Abdramane, Niger junta spokesman, the decision was provoked by the harsh sanctions imposed by the regional body, which he described as “illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible” and said was “in violation of its own texts, all things which have further weakened populations already bruised by years of violence imposed by instrumentalised and remote-controlled terrorist hordes.”
“The organization notably failed to assist these states in their existential fight against terrorism and insecurity,” Abdramane added.
The three countries were suspended from ECOWAS following the coups, and relations between them and the regional bloc have deteriorated for months.
On 16 September, the three countries signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter, creating the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance. The three countries committed to combatting all forms of terrorism and organised crime in their common area, as well as armed rebellion or other threats to their territorial integrity and sovereignty. According to the charter, any violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one AES member shall be considered an act of aggression against all members, who are obligated to assist one another. Leaders of the three AES member-states say the alliance will be self-funded and is open to other Sahel states joining.
Last year, they withdrew from an international force known as the G5 that was set up to fight Islamists in the Sahel region after forming their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Part of the statement announcing the withdrawal from ECOWAS read; “Eager to achieve integration between the States of the sub-region and driven by the motives of fraternity, solidarity, mutual aid, peace and development, Their Excellencies General Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana, General Moussa Traoré and Lieutenant -Colonel Seyni Kountché, respectively Heads of State of Upper Volta (current Burkina Faso), Mali and Niger, created with twelve (12) of their peers, on May 28, 1975, in Lagos, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
After 49 years of existence, the valiant people of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger note with great regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their Organisation has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and from Pan-Africanism. Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its populations whose happiness it is supposed to ensure.”
“Faced with this continuing situation,” Abdramane concluded, “Their Excellencies, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Colonel Assimi Goïta and Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, respectively Heads of State of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, taking all their responsibilities in the face of history and responding to the expectations, concerns and aspirations of their populations, decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States.”
Pundits say this withdrawal has so many implications. A serious consideration is the immediate status of these countries’ nationals within ECOWAS and that of nationals of the regional body’s member-states residing within the three states.
As it stands, steps may immediately be expedited, political watchers say, to form the proposed confederation of the AES with its single currency and a passport common to the three countries since their citizens will no longer be able to use the ECOWAS passport.
ECOWAS response
It is unclear what ECOWAS’s full official response will be in the coming days. A statement released by ECOWAS immediately after the announcement acknowledged the broadcast by the Nigerièn spokesman, but stated that “the ECOWAS Commission is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the three member-states about their intention to withdraw from the community.
The ECOWAS Commission, as directed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government, has been working assiduously with these countries for the restoration of constitutional order.”
However, it is expected that negotiations would commence to reverse the decision while efforts continue to reach a compromise on the thorny issues that the three countries say led to their decision to withdraw. The ECOWAS statement confirms this, as it insists that “Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali remain important members of the Community, and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse.
“The ECOWAS Commission remains seized with the developments and shall make further pronouncements as the situation ecolves.”
Regional economic analysts are still trying to fully comprehend the economic implications of the decision as new economic agreements would have to be signed to replace old privileges enjoyed as members of the sub regional economic union; a situation that may drive business costs up.
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