Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger’s ECOWAS Exit Takes Effect
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following the expiration of their mandatory one-year notice period.
Despite the exit, ECOWAS has announced that it will maintain certain privileges for the three countries, keeping its doors open for future engagements.
In a statement on Wednesday, the ECOWAS Commission confirmed the official withdrawal, effective January 29, 2025, while outlining measures to prevent disruption in regional relations.
“In the spirit of regional solidarity and in the interest of the people, as well as the decision of the ECOWAS Authority to keep ECOWAS’ doors open, all relevant authorities within and outside ECOWAS Member States are requested to:
Recognize national passports and identity cards bearing the ECOWAS logo held by citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Continue treating goods and services from the three countries under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and investment policies.
Allow citizens of the affected countries to enjoy visa-free movement, residence, and establishment rights.
Provide full support to ECOWAS officials from these countries in the course of their assignments.”
ECOWAS added that these measures will remain in place until the Authority of Heads of State and Government determines the future framework for engagement with the three nations. A structure has been set up to facilitate discussions on these modalities.
The regional bloc emphasized that these arrangements aim to prevent confusion and disruption in the lives and businesses of citizens during the transition period.
