Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso Quit ECOWAS Citing ‘Threats to Members’
Supporters of Capt. Ibrahim Traore protest against France and the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS in the streets of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.
The countries denounced “illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions” applied by the bloc.Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS).”ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers and having betrayed its founding principles, has become a threat to member states and their peoples… the organization has failed to assist our countries in the fight against terrorism and insecurity,” the joint statement published on the National Council for the Defense of the Fatherland of Niger page said.The countries also noted that the regional bloc introduced “illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions.”
AfricaMali, Burkina Faso, Niger Sign Charter to Create Defense Alliance17 September 2023, 02:02 GMTNiger’s military-appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine accused ECOWAS of dishonesty on Thursday after the negotiating mission, whose arrival was expected in Niger’s capital Niamey, failed to show. The delegation explained its absence by citing a technical malfunction of the aircraft.
