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Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Grant Visa-Free Travel for ECOWAS Citizens Ahead of Historic Exit
In a move that could reshape the future of regional cooperation in West Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have announced visa-free travel and residency rights for citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This decision comes as the three Sahel nations prepare to exit the regional bloc in January 2025, despite a six-month grace period offered by ECOWAS for reconsideration.
The leaders of these countries, all founding members of ECOWAS since its inception in 1975, emphasized that their departure from the bloc is “irreversible.”
While the announcement of visa-free travel is seen as a goodwill gesture aimed at preserving friendly relations among African nations, it also signals the growing political rift between the Sahel states and ECOWAS.
At the heart of this shift is the trio’s growing dissatisfaction with ECOWAS, which they accuse of aligning too closely with Western powers.
This has led the countries to seek military and economic support from Russia, as they face mounting challenges from jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel region.
With these nations turning towards new allies, their exit marks a significant shift in the geopolitics of West Africa.
The departure of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger will have a profound impact on ECOWAS. The region will lose 76 million people and more than half of its land area.
The move also raises questions about the future of regional cooperation, as tensions between the Sahel states and the rest of the bloc intensify.
ECOWAS has not yet decided if the citizens of these three nations will continue to enjoy free movement within the bloc, though the newly formed Alliance of Sahel States has assured that ECOWAS citizens will retain the right to travel, live, and work within their territories.
The future of ECOWAS, as well as its relationship with the Sahel countries, remains uncertain, with ongoing mediation efforts led by Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé set to continue until July 2025.
