The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is holding a crucial two-day meeting in Accra, Ghana, starting Tuesday, to address the formal exit of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc.
In an official statement, ECOWAS disclosed that representatives from member states will deliberate on the withdrawal process and its broader impact on the organization’s institutions and operations within the departing countries. The meeting aims to establish a structured dialogue mechanism with the three nations to manage the transition and its consequences.
“The session will focus on the modalities of withdrawal and assess the implications for ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies operating in the three countries,” the statement read. “It will also explore other matters of regional importance.”
This meeting comes three weeks after the Alliance of Sahel States — comprised of junta-led Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso — introduced a 0.5% import levy on goods from ECOWAS member nations, exempting humanitarian supplies. The new policy stands in contrast to ECOWAS’s goal of ensuring unrestricted trade across the region, despite the countries’ formal departure from the bloc in January.
