Rapid Fire
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Left ECOWAS
- 31 Jan 2025
- 1 min read
The West African nations of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
- The three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States, seeking military support from Russia and distancing themselves from the US and France.
- The Sahel is a semiarid region (western and north-central Africa), a transitional zone between the Sahara desert (north) and humid savannas (south).
- About ECOWAS:
- It is a regional group of 15 West African countries (before withdrawal), founded in 1975 with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos (Nigeria).
- It is headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria and aims to promote economic integration and shared development of the West African sub-region.
- It established its free trade area in 1990 and adopted a common external tariff in 2015.
- A peacekeeping force was sent to Liberia in 1990 during its civil war and to Sierra Leone in 1997 after the government was overthrown.
- Mauritania withdrew in 2000 but rejoined as an associate member in 2017.
Read More: Economic Community of West African States
