CHINEDU ASADU
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West African nations Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have withdrawn from the regional economic bloc known as ECOWAS, their respective juntas announced Sunday. They accused the bloc of “inhumane” sanctions to reverse the coups in their nations.
ECOWAS said in a statement that it wasn’t notified of the countries’ decision to withdraw.
The juntas said in a joint statement read on state television in all three countries that they have “decided in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),” alleging that the bloc has “moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and pan-Africanism” after nearly 50 years in existence.
“Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its populations whose happiness it is supposed to
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