The ECOWAS' recent decision to extend the withdrawal of three Alliance of Sahel States (AES) member countries by six months only further aggravated tensions between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the AES, with the latter strongly criticizing this measure as an attempt to undermine its sovereignty.
Amid rising tensions, the College of Heads of State of the AES noted "with regret," in a press release, "destabilization maneuvers [...] regularly initiated by a handful of heads of state who impose their will and agendas on the rest of the organization."
The college reaffirmed its commitment to defending the sovereignty of the peoples of the confederation.
Earlier, in July, the prime minister of Burkina Faso declared that his country had exited ECOWAS because of the bloc's neocolonialist perspectives, as reported by his office. He added that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger existed prior to the establishment of ECOWAS and are capable of continuing without it.