Kehinde Fajobi
The military juntas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will officially end their membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025, according to a statement from the regional bloc on Sunday.
This decision was part of the resolutions passed at the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Commission Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja.
Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, read the communiqué, confirming that the bloc respects the decision of the three Sahel countries to leave.
However, the communiqué also stated that a transition period of six months, from January 29 to July 29, 2025, will be provided.
During this transition, the current negotiations with an ECOWAS mediation team, led by Presidents of Senegal and Togo, will continue.
ECOWAS clarified that if Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger decide to rejoin the community during the transition period, they will be readmitted.
The decision aligns with Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaties, which affirms the sovereignty of all member states.
As a result, the three countries will officially cease to be members of ECOWAS on January 29, 2025.
The communiqué further commended the diplomatic efforts of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, and ECOWAS Chairman President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for their roles in mediating with the three countries.
The communiqué also outlined that the transitional period will allow the continuation of diplomatic efforts to bring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger back into ECOWAS.
After January 29, 2025, the ECOWAS Commission President has been directed to initiate withdrawal formalities and create a contingency plan addressing political and economic relations.
An extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers is scheduled for the second quarter of 2025 to finalize separation modalities and the contingency plan.