ECOWAS says doors open for re-admission as Burkina Faso,

From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has officially accepted the notice of withdrawal of membership of the regional body served by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Alieu Omar Touray, made the announcement yesterday at a press briefing in Abuja following the expiration of the mandatory period required to accept and formalise the decision of a member state to quit the organization.

The three countries’ notification to quit was served on ECOWAS in January, 2024. Touray said the withdrawal of the three countries from ECOWAS has “become effective today, 29th January, 2025.”

ECOWAS however said it is keeping its doors open to the three countries in the spirit of regional solidarity and in the interest of the people. It also requested all relevant authorities within and outside ECOWAS member states to continue to recognise the national passports and identity cards bearing ECOWAS logo held by the citizens of the three countries until further notice.

ECOWAS further directed member states to treat goods and services coming from the three countries in accordance with its Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and investment policy.

Other directives issued by the organization include asking member states to allow citizens of the three affected countries to continue to enjoy the right of visa free movement, residence and establishment in accordance with its protocols until further notice.

It added that member states should provide full support and cooperation to ECOWAS officials from the three countries in the course of their assignments for the Community.

“These arrangements will be in place until the full determination of the modalities of our future engagement with the three countries by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government,” Touray said.

Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Commission has set up a structure to facilitate discussions on the modalities with each of the three countries. “This message is necessary to avoid confusion and disruption in the lives and businesses of our people during this transition period,” it said.

While saying that ECOWAS had put in place structures that will allow for discussion, Touray disclosed that the organisation has begun receiving responses from some of the countries, indicating their intention to sit and discuss with it. “At least, two of the three countries have already written to indicate their availability for such talks,” he said. Mali is one of the countries that have indicated its readiness for discussion.

Asked what ECOWAS will do to forestall withdrawal from the bloc in the future, Touray explained that the issue of withdrawal was a sovereign decision. He stated that ECOWAS had shown the whole world and the Community in particular, the value of being a member of the regional body.

“This is the only region on the continent where with a simple ID card, you can move from one end to another end. I am not saying there are no problems, but legally, you can move from one end to another end.

“You can pick up your passport, hop on a plane and go anywhere else without having to go through all these visa problems. This is also a region where member states can trade freely among themselves with produce that are qualified under ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme.

“So, this is what we must do for the benefit of our community and I believe nobody should have a problem with this. Certainly, to be able to do this, we will have to work on peace and security, we will have to work on governance, so these are areas that remain important to ECOWAS and ECOWAS leaders have underlined their commitment to these principles,” Touray also said.

On the security issues bedevilling the region, Touray said it was the collective interest of the West African countries to work together in all areas, including in the area of security. “ECOWAS sees the security of each and everyone of us to be closely tied and for that reason, security collaboration will be continued at all levels, not only within West Africa, but across the continent,” Touray added.