Talk Africa: Sahel states quit ECOWAS

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso say they’ve quit the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS. They accuse the regional bloc of deviating from its founding principles. The three Sahelian countries are under military rule. The take-overs took place in Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger in 2023. ECOWAS says the three countries remain important members of the community and pledged to negotiate solutions. The African Union also backs dialogue to end the crisis. This week Talk Africa is asking, is Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso better off or worse off outside ECOWAS? And, what can be done to end the stand-off and find a lasting solution to the perennial instability in this part of West Africa?