The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has confirmed the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc, effective January 29, 2025. Despite this decision, ECOWAS has extended a six-month period, until July 2025, for the three nations to reconsider and potentially reverse their exit.
The move follows a rejection by the military-led governments of these countries, collectively known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), of an earlier retraction offer by ECOWAS. The AES has characterized such proposals as foreign-driven attempts at destabilization, particularly pointing to France as a source of interference in their sovereignty.
Although mediation efforts are ongoing, the AES maintains its firm stance against what it perceives as external pressures. This development marks a significant shift in regional dynamics as the three nations pursue an independent course while tensions over foreign influence persist.
