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Moscow Monitoring Situation With Withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger From ECOWAS

© Photo X / @AESinfosMali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced their withdrawal from the ECOWAS.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced their withdrawal from the ECOWAS. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 31.01.2024
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in a joint communiqué on Sunday. The three countries cited the regional organization's failure to "provide assistance to our States in the framework of our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity."
Russia is closely monitoring the situation with the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the regional grouping ECOWAS, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
"We are closely following developments regarding the membership of these countries in the ECOWAS. We hope that the problems that have arisen in relations between members of this important integration association for the Sahel region and West Africa as a whole will be resolved on the basis of an equal and mutually respectful dialogue," the spokeswoman told a briefing.
Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States in a joint communiqué on January 28. The three countries cited the regional organization's failure to "provide assistance to our States in the framework of our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity."
Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 at United Nations headquarters. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 31.01.2024
Sub-Saharan Africa
ECOWAS Has Become 'Threat' to Sahel Countries, Says Mali
For its part, the organization said it was ready for a "negotiated solution" and stressed that the three countries were important members of the community.
The countries have had strained relations with ECOWAS since the military took power in Mali in 2020, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger in 2023.
The organization has imposed heavy sanctions on the latter and threatened to use military force to reinstate the ousted authorities. ECOWAS also suspended the three countries from its bodies.
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