THE Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), yesterday, approved the withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the bloc with effect from January 29, 2025.
It, however, gave the three countries up till July next year to reconsider their planned withdrawal from the regional bloc.
In the communique read by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, the Commission noted that it respected the decision of the three countries to exit the community.
It, however, announces that a transition period of six months between January 29 an July 29 will be given to the counties during which the current negotiations with ECOWAS Mediation team led by the Presidents of Senegal and Togo will continue.
ECOWAS noted that if during the transition period the three Sahel countries decide to rejoin the community, they would be readmitted.
The decision is in line with Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaties which recognises the sovereignty of every member state.
This means Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger will cease to be members of ECOWAS from January 29, 2025.
See the communique below:
After deliberations, their excellencies, the authority members of the authority of ECOWAS, heads of state and government, commend the exemplary diplomatic engagement of His Excellency. BassirouDiomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, and His Excellency Faure Gnassingbé President of the Togolese Republic, and the diplomatic efforts of the chairman of authority, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other individual member states towards these three countries.
The authority takes note of the notification by Bukina Faso, Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger of their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS. The authority acknowledges that in accordance with the provisions of Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaty, the three countries will officially cease to be members of ECOWAS from 29 January, 2025.
The authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025 as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period.
In this regard, the authority extends the mandate of President for Gnassingbé of a Togo, and President Faye of Senegal to continue their mediation rule up to the end of the transition period to bring the three member countries back to ECOWAS.
Without prejudice, for the spirit of the opening, The Authority directs the President of the Commission to launch withdrawal formalities after the deadline of 29th January, 2025 and to draw up a contingency plan covering various areas.
The Authority directs the Council of Ministers to convene an extraordinary session during the second quarter of 2025 to consider and adopt both separation modalities and the contingency plan covering political and economic relations between ECOWAS and the Republic of Niger, the Republic of Mali and Burkina Faso.
