On Monday, Nigeria, currently at the helm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), expressed profound disappointment in the “unelected” military rulers of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. These leaders, in a collective move, decided to withdraw from the nearly half-century-old regional alliance. In its first response to the announcement, the Nigerian foreign ministry issued a statement asserting that the actions of these leaders were a betrayal to their people.

The statement argued that the military authorities were disregarding the fundamental rights of their citizens by denying them the freedom to choose their leaders, trade freely, and move without hindrance. It criticized the apparent lack of good faith in the decision to exit ECOWAS and accused the unelected leaders of engaging in mere posturing.

ECOWAS, facing a challenging period marked by democratic setbacks in West Africa, has refrained from commenting on this development. Mali and Niger formally communicated their decision to the ECOWAS Commission in written notices dated Monday. Nigeria, however, expressed its ongoing willingness to engage with the departing nations.

The joint televised announcement of their exit deals a blow to ECOWAS’s efforts toward regional integration, coming after the suspension of the three countries following recent coups. The departure of these nations could potentially further undermine the cohesion of the bloc.

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