Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Finally Exit West African Bloc As Regional Politics Shift

Three Sahel Nations officially quit the West African bloc ECOWAS Wednesday, severing ties after years of strained relations that have reshaped trade routes in the Sahel.

Dubbed “Sahelexit” by some commentators, the decision was first announced a year ago by the countries’ military leaders and is now taking legal effect.

The three nations are strengthening their cooperation through the Alliance of Sahel States [AES], announcing plans to create a joint military force of 5,000 troops to fight terrorism.

They will also introduce a shared passport system to allow free movement between their territories.

Foreign ministers from the three countries met in Ouagadougou on Sunday to finalise the terms of their withdrawal from ECOWAS. They stressed a “comprehensive approach” to negotiations in line with the AES framework.

The ministers said they were determined to complete their exit swiftly while exploring practical solutions for future ties with neighbouring nations.

“We are ready to engage in dialogue with ECOWAS to provide solutions to the concerns of the populations and their states,” said Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop.

He added that the three leaders remained “fully committed” to Pan-Africanism, advocating “friendship, fraternity and solidarity” within AES, across West Africa and the African diaspora.

 Firm decision

For Komi Amewunou, sociologist, policy analyst and editor of Afrobarometre – a pan-African research network – the exit is not only final but logical for the three states

“It is legitimate for Sahel states to exit because they feel like ECOWAS is not autonomous … like foreign powers are influencing its decisions,” he said.

“That’s what citizens are thinking that it is not safe for them to keep a relationship with a regional organisation that is not completely autonomous.”

Amewunou said the security crisis in the Sahel, particularly in francophone West Africa, played a major role in the split, as did the influence of foreign powers like France.

He added that AES may now seek bilateral alliances with other ECOWAS states, including Togo, where he is based.

“Togo is close to AES, but we can’t determine its position in terms of a potential ECOWAS exit. Yet, Togo could be favourable to an exit and to enter AES in the near future,” Amewunou said.

“Togo has historically maintained a quieter and more pragmatic relationship with France – the key actor in the situation – but it has expressed sympathy for the AES, which could suggest a potential shift.”

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Trading losses

The three military leaders cut ties with ECOWAS after staging coups between 2020 and 2023. In response, ECOWAS imposed tough economic sanctions, pushing the juntas to seek alternative trade routes.

But leaving the bloc comes with logistical and economic challenges. Before relations broke down, 80 percent of Niger’s freight passed through Benin’s port of Cotonou, the closest to the capital Niamey.

Togo was also an important point of access to the sea.

Despite ECOWAS lifting its sanctions, Niger has refused to reopen its border with Benin, accusing it of harbouring jihadist groups trying to destabilise the country.

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In Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan’s port also saw a drop in road freight in the first half of 2024 for similar reasons.

Meanwhile, Togo and Guinea enjoy smoother relations with AES countries, making the ports of Lomé and Conakry key transit points.

The split is also a blow to ECOWAS. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute, the departure of these three founding members cuts the bloc’s population of 424 million by 16 percent and its GDP by 7 percent. 

Aside trade and security implications for the remaining members of ECOWAS, Nigeria is the major loser as thousands if not millions of her citizens that have lived and called these countries home for close to a century.

Source: AFP