Sahel States Stand Firm Against ECOWAS Exit Plan
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), made up of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, has rejected the six-month withdrawal timetable proposed by ECOWAS at its recent summit in Abuja, Nigeria. ECOWAS has proposed a deadline for countries to be allowed to reconsider withdrawal, currently set for January 2025. However, AES leaders dismissed the proposal as a strategy by France and its allies to destabilize the EU and claimed their decision to leave was “irreversible”. AES also criticized the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions on its country following the coup. They also criticized the EU for failing to help resolve its internal security crisis. The two countries are preparing to issue separate travel documents and solidify their alliance, raising questions about the future of visa-free travel. The exit transition period, now set to end in July 2025, is intended to keep diplomatic channels open, but AES insists ECOWAS decisions are not binding.
source: africa news
