Three West African countries currently ruled by military juntas—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—are about to formally exit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by implementing a new biometric passport. This action, which is anticipated to occur “in the coming days,” represents the most recent development in their expanding partnership, the partnership of Sahel States.
These countries’ military commanders, who took control in several coups between 2020 and 2023, jointly said in January that they intended to withdraw from Ecowas. Their choice came after other West African nations implemented sanctions in an effort to put pressure on the juntas to return to civilian governance. But the alliance has steadfastly rejected these requests, opting instead to deepen relations.
“A new biometric passport of the alliance will be put into circulation in the coming days with the aim of harmonising travel documents in our common area,” stated in a televised speech on Sunday evening Col Assimi Goïta, the head of the junta in Mali and the interim president of the Sahel alliance.
The statement was made on the eve of the alliance’s first anniversary and comes alongside plans to launch a single service aimed at fostering uniform information transmission among the three states.
Burkina Faso had previously declared that it would be launching a new biometric passport devoid of the Ecowas emblem. How this would affect residents’ travel to other Ecowas member nations, where visa-free travel was previously assured by the use of a 15-nation regional passport, is still unknown.
The leaders of the junta stated in July that their decision to cut off relations with Ecowas “irrevocable,” citing their aim to create an African-centered network of sovereign states free from outside interference. Their recent actions have further cemented their departure from the West African bloc, which raises questions about possible ramifications for regional security and cohesion.
For ECOWAS, formalising this breakaway coalition presents formidable obstacles. The coalition may contribute to regional instability and worsen insecurity in an already unstable region, the regional union, which has been trying to reacquire the Sahel countries, said.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger founded the Alliance of Sahel States to boost military cooperation as they confront jihadist insurgencies that have plagued the region for decades. By creating a confederation in July, the alliance broadened the scope of its cooperation to cover more ambitious political and social projects.
The juntas have failed to stop the violence, even though they have tried to argue that the military takeovers are required to combat terrorism. Terrorist organisations are still wreaking devastation throughout the Sahel, resulting in millions of displaced people and tens of thousands of deaths.
The three countries furthered their break from France, a major ally in the region’s armed forces, by driving out French soldiers supporting the counterinsurgency effort. The juntas have looked to Russia for military support in their stead.