Three junta-led African countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—have announced visa-free travel and residency rights for citizens of the 15-member ECOWAS bloc.
The leaders of these states said that this move was made in the spirit of friendship and to reinforce centuries-old ties among African people, despite their impending withdrawal from ECOWAS, BBC reported. Their decision to leave follows the bloc’s insistence on restoring democratic governance, which the military-led governments have resisted.
ECOWAS leaders are convening in Nigeria to deliberate on the matter. Many fear the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger could significantly undermine regional unity, as well as efforts to enhance economic integration and collective security cooperation.
The exit of these three nations will reduce ECOWAS’s population by 76 million, from 446 million, and will cut the bloc’s geographical land area by more than half. This change could weaken the bloc’s influence and undermine its efforts toward economic integration and regional stability.
On Saturday, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso reaffirmed their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS, declaring it irreversible. However, they jointly announced that their territories would remain visa-free for all ECOWAS citizens even after departure.
Ongoing struggles with ECOWAS
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will enter a six-month grace period after their scheduled exit from ECOWAS, West Africa’s main political and economic bloc.
While January 29 remains the official withdrawal date, the effective exit has been extended to July 29. During this transitional period, ECOWAS mediators will work to reintegrate the three countries into the bloc “without prejudice,” according to ECOWAS Commission President Oumar Touray at the conclusion of the summit.
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