Africa: Burkina Faso sends formal notification of withdrawal to ECOWAS

On Monday, Burkina Faso officially sent a notification to ECOWAS, confirming its joint decision with Mali and Niger to withdraw from the sub-regional institution without delay.

«In a joint statement dated January 28, 2024, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Niger, and the Republic of Mali inform about their decision to jointly withdraw without delay from the Economic Community of West African States. In this regard, this communication constitutes a formal notification to the ECOWAS Commission, the depositary authority for the information of ECOWAS member states, the African Union, the United Nations, and any other organization identified by it», the statement reads.

After 49 years of existence, the resilient people of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger regretfully observe that ECOWAS has strayed from the ideals of its founding fathers and pan-Africanism, prompting the decision of these three countries to withdraw from this community.

Following the announcement of the withdrawal of the Sahel States Alliance (AES) from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, in a statement, asserted that it had not received a direct formal notification of the intention of these countries to withdraw from the community.

ECOWAS expressed its determination to find a negotiated solution to the political impasse.

This withdrawal heralds the beginning of a struggle for Africans marching towards the sovereignty of the continent.

The real battle has just begun, and the people must lend strength to all leaders who are conscious and committed to the renaissance of Africa in world history.

Papa IBRAHIMA