Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, three West African countries currently ruled by military leaders, have announced a major shift in regional relations. They have pledged to offer visa-free travel and residency rights to citizens within their new bloc, the Alliance of Sahel States, as they prepare to leave the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas). This announcement comes ahead of the trio’s planned exit from Ecowas in January 2025, following their refusal to comply with the bloc’s demands for the restoration of democratic rule.
Visa-Free Travel and Residency
The military leaders of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso emphasized that their decision was made in the spirit of friendship and to strengthen historical ties among the people of West Africa. They outlined that citizens within the Alliance of Sahel States will have the right to “enter, circulate, reside, establish and leave the territory” of member states without the need for visas. This policy is a significant step in fostering regional integration, even as the three countries move away from Ecowas.
Ecowas and the Split
The move by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso represents a significant blow to Ecowas, which will lose both a considerable portion of its population (76 million people) and more than half of its geographical area. The split is the first of its kind in the history of the 15-member bloc, which was founded in 1975 to promote economic and political cooperation. Ecowas has been working to mediate with the military-led governments to resolve tensions, but the bloc faces the challenge of trying to keep the three countries within its fold.
The withdrawal comes after a series of military coups—Mali in 2020, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023—that Ecowas has condemned. Despite pressure from Ecowas to restore civilian rule, the coup leaders have resisted and increasingly aligned with Russia, accusing Ecowas of being too closely linked to Western powers. They have pivoted towards Moscow for assistance in combating insurgent jihadist groups operating in the Sahel region.
Ecowas Leaders’ Reactions
At a recent Ecowas summit in Nigeria, the bloc’s commission head, Omar Touray, expressed disappointment at the imminent departure of the three states. While he described their exit as “disheartening,” he also commended ongoing mediation efforts to prevent further divisions. Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been leading diplomatic initiatives to convince the military juntas to remain in the bloc, but so far, the states have remained firm in their decision.
As the new Alliance of Sahel States forms, Mali’s military ruler, Assimi Goïta, made it clear that despite leaving Ecowas, the countries intended to maintain amicable relations with their neighbors in the region, signaling a desire for cooperation beyond the breakup.
This development marks a pivotal moment in West African geopolitics, and the coming months will reveal the extent to which these shifting alliances will reshape the region’s security and economic landscape.
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