The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has granted Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger a six-month ultimatum to reverse their decision to withdraw from the regional bloc.
The transitional period, running from January 29 to July 29, 2025, was announced by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, during the 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held in Abuja.
According to a statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the decision comes as the one-year statutory period for withdrawal stipulated in Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS Treaty draws to a close.
The additional grace period aims to allow further dialogue while preparing for potential separation if the nations do not reconsider their stance.
During the extension, Senegalese President Bassirou Faye and Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé will continue their mediation efforts to reintegrate the three countries into ECOWAS.
Meanwhile, the bloc’s Council of Ministers has been tasked with drafting contingency plans and separation modalities by the second quarter of 2025, should the withdrawal proceed as scheduled.
In his closing remarks, ECOWAS Chairman and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hailed the unity of the member states and urged them to implement the summit’s decisions for the benefit of the region. He emphasized the need for collective action to build a peaceful and prosperous West Africa.
President Tinubu lauded the diplomatic efforts of ECOWAS mediators and praised Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo for his exemplary leadership, describing him as a steadfast champion of democracy in the region.
The six-month extension underscores ECOWAS’s preference for dialogue over disengagement while bracing for a future that could alter its political and economic dynamics with the three countries.
