Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso leave West Africa regional bloc ECOWAS

Dakar, Jan 30, (dpa/GNA) – The Sahel states of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, are officially leaving the regional economic bloc ECOWAS on Wednesday, after 50 years.

The withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, which the three junta-led countries decided on a year ago, is now in effect despite several attempts at mediation.

This means around 73 million people are leaving one of the largest regional economic communities in Africa, which had consisted of 15 countries and whose aim is to promote economic co-operation between the member states, to raise the standard of living.

Relations between the three countries and the bloc have been severely strained, since military coups in Mali (2021), Burkina Faso (2022) and Niger (2023).

Bamako, Ouagadougou and Niamey accuse ECOWAS, which criticized the coups and imposed sanctions, of being influenced by the interests of France, a former colonial power. Amid the tensions, they have increasingly turned to Russia.

The departure of the three from the bloc more than halves its area. The countries however represent just under 17% of the approximately 440 million inhabitants in the region, and contribute about 8% of the common economic output.

The three countries are among the 10 least developed in the world, despite their enormous natural resources, such as gold and uranium, which are mostly mined by European and North American companies.

Millennia-old trade routes which run through the region are used, among other things, to smuggle people and drugs towards Europe.

All three countries are also grappling with Islamist terrorist groups.

GNA