Burkina Faso defends exit from ECOWAS

Reactions have continued to trail the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger following their decision to leave ECOWAS.

However, it wasn’t entirely unexpected, particularly in light of the coup in Niger from July of last year.

The Burkinabe Prime Minister justified the decision in Ouagadougou on Thursday, February 1.

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger made the historic decision on January 28th to leave the Economic Community of West African States.

Authorities believe ECOWAS doesn’t meet the aspirations of the Sahelian peoples anymore rendering the AES alliance necessary.

Premier minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla condemned ECOWAS sanctions against his country, Mali and Niger and also accused the bloc of failure to assist its member states.

“Instead of an ECOWAS of the people, the organization has become a technocratic tool which that ultimately deviated from the legitimate aspirations of the west African peoples.”

“For proof, we have noted ECOWAS’s indifference when our valiant peoples were massacred, or as our fellow citizens endure humanitarian crises , or in the face of the numerous destabilization attempts our states have encountered,” he said.

Burkina Faso says it has notified the 15-nation bloc of its decision.

AES countries have called on their populations to mobilize in support of the move in coming days.