Bamako, Mari – The West Africa regional bloc, known as Ecowas, faces major challenges after three junta-led countries officially quit the group, forming their own alliances, undermining the bloc's status and political authority. It's there.
The withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the bloc – 12 countries are currently remaining – and a one-year meeting announced in January 2024 aimed at reversing their decision. It was the culmination of diplomatic efforts.
The departure is the first of its kind in the bloc's 50-year history, with analysts warning that weaker ECOWA could further undermine increasingly vulnerable areas.
The bloc of 15 countries, widely seen as the major political and regional authorities of West Africa, was formed in 1975 to “promote economic integration” between member states. The Bullock has also worked with members to solve domestic challenges, from politics to economics and security.
BLOC guarantees members' visa-free travel and access to markets of over $700 million for a population of around 400 million.
However, in parts of West Africa, analysts say ECOWAS is struggling with a crisis of legitimacy and citizens see it as representing only the interests of their leaders, not theirs.
Ecowas' relationship with the coup Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, began to get worse as the bloc imposes severe sanctions on Niger, putting pressure on the troops to reverse the coup that it staged.
The Bullock has long used sanctions to reverse the coup, but what has been imposed on Niger has been the toughest ever. Neighbors closed their borders with the country, cut off more than 70% of Niger's electricity supply, suspending financial transactions and freezing Niger's assets held by the bloc.
The three countries called sanctions “inhuman” and denounced Ekowas as “away from its founder and Pan-African ideals.”
After leaving Ekowas, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso created their own alliance known as the Sahel Alliance, named after the vast South Fringe of the Sahel Desert region, or AES.
The three military ties were cut off with long-standing Western partners, including the United States and France, and relied on Russia for military support.
Ecowas tried to ease tensions with the AES, reversed the sanctions imposed by the Bullock in February last year, and revamped the talks the AES rejected.
Ecowas says that the doors will remain open to keep the three countries open to continue to enjoy benefits, as with other block members, but the three junta-led countries are the citizens' We have launched our own travel documents for this purpose.
The Bullock also said trade will continue as usual. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are still members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. In other words, trade and free movement of goods must continue among members of eight countries. The Currency Union includes three military-led countries, as well as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, Togo and Benin.
Babakar Ndiai, a political analyst at Wati Think Tank, focusing on West Africa, said a six-month extension of talks between ECOWAS and the three countries would expire in July. However, there is little hope for the AES countries to “rethink their withdrawal,” Ndiaye said.
There are concerns that the weakened ECOWAS will not be able to handle the security crisis that spreads from the conflict-covered Sahel to coastal West African countries.
Ekowas is also rarely in a position to reverse the military takeovers of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Renaissance Capital's chief economist Charlie Robertson also said there is likely to be less investment in the three countries.
