The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has rejected the six-month withdrawal timeline proposed by ECOWAS at a recent summit in Abuja, Nigeria. ECOWAS suggested the period to allow the countries to reconsider their exit, currently set for January 2025. However, AES leaders dismissed the proposal as a strategy by France and its allies to destabilize the bloc, asserting that their decision to leave is “irreversible.” AES also criticized ECOWAS for its “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions imposed on their countries following their respective coups. They also criticized the bloc for failing to assist with their internal security crises. The countries are preparing to issue separate travel documents and solidify their alliance, raising questions about future visa-free movement. The transition period for withdrawal, now slated to end by July 2025, aims to keep diplomatic channels open, but AES maintains the ECOWAS decision is not binding.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS
