Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, three West African countries ruled by military leaders, have announced visa-free travel and residency rights for their citizens within the 15-member regional bloc Ecowas. The move comes ahead of the trio’s planned withdrawal from the group in January.
The leaders cited a spirit of friendship and strengthened historical ties among Africans as reasons for the decision. However, Ecowas officials respect the decision to leave but have offered a six-month grace period for reconsideration.
If they decide to rejoin Ecowas, the Sahel countries can be reinstated during this transitional period. The three states had previously refused to remain in the bloc despite efforts to persuade them.
The military juntas’ withdrawal is seen as a significant blow to regional unity and economic cooperation. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger were founding members of Ecowas in 1975 but will now lose nearly half of the bloc’s population and geographical area.
A new alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States, has been formed by the three breakaway states. The chairman of the alliance maintains that citizens of Ecowas can still enter, circulate, reside, establish, and leave the territory of the new bloc.
The move is seen as an attempt to maintain good relations with Ecowas despite quitting the bloc. Relations between the two groups have been tense following military coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. The coup leaders have increasingly relied on Russia for support in fighting armed insurgents in the region.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp31lny4jweo