The ECOWAS Council of Ministers will hold an Extraordinary Session from April 22 to 23, 2025, in Accra to discuss the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the regional bloc.
The meeting coincides with the ECOWAS 50th anniversary launch in Accra.
The three states announced their exit last January after ECOWAS called for the restoration of democratic rule in Niger following the 2023 military coup.
The breakaway nations later formed the Alliance of Sahel States and introduced their own biometric passports.
ECOWAS said that remaining members agreed to “keep ECOWAS doors open” by recognising national passports bearing the bloc’s logo, maintaining trade under existing regional agreements, and continuing diplomatic cooperation.
In December 2024, ECOWAS granted Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger a six-month grace period to reconsider their departure.
Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, recently met with leaders from the three countries to explore solutions to challenges posed by the Alliance of Sahelian States.
To foster goodwill and reunification, President Mahama invited them to the ECOWAS 50th anniversary launch.
He briefed ECOWAS Chair, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the initiative, which faced no resistance—a sign of commitment to reintegrating the nations.
The Accra session will focus on withdrawal modalities, the impact on ECOWAS institutions, and broader regional issues, including the future of integration and multilateralism.
