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Home Travel Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Announce Visa-Free Travel for ECOWAS Citizens Ahead...

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Announce Visa-Free Travel for ECOWAS Citizens Ahead of Planned Exit from Bloc

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Sahel States
Sahel States

In a significant development, the West African nations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have declared visa-free travel and residency rights for citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) despite their planned withdrawal from the bloc in January 2025.

The decision, made by the military leaders of the three countries, is framed as a gesture of maintaining friendly ties and honoring the shared history among African nations. However, the leaders have firmly stated that their decision to exit ECOWAS is “irreversible,” despite the bloc offering a six-month grace period for reconsideration.

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all founding members of ECOWAS since its establishment in 1975, will see their departure significantly alter the bloc, reducing its population by 76 million people and cutting more than half of its land area.

During an ECOWAS summit in Nigeria, the bloc’s commission head, Omar Touray, expressed his disappointment over the exit but acknowledged the efforts of ongoing mediation led by Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé. These discussions are set to continue until July 2025, with hopes of reaching a resolution.

The trio of nations has taken a sharp turn in their foreign relations, accusing ECOWAS of aligning too closely with Western powers. As a result, they have shifted their focus towards Russia for military and economic support as they combat jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel region.

While ECOWAS has not yet decided whether citizens from the Sahel states will continue to enjoy free movement within the bloc, the newly formed Alliance of Sahel States has assured ECOWAS citizens of their right to travel, reside, and work within their territories.

The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger marks the first-ever split in ECOWAS’s history, raising questions about the future of regional cooperation. With tensions running high, all eyes are on how the relationship between these nations and the wider ECOWAS community will evolve in the months leading up to 2025.

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