- Ecowas approved the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, military-run states, from the bloc, offering a six-month grace period for reconsideration.
- The three countries, founding members of Ecowas, plan to leave in January after refusing to restore democratic rule.
- The departure is a major blow to Ecowas, which may lose 76 million people and more than half its land area.
- The three countries have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and offer visa-free travel and residency rights for Ecowas citizens.
- Ecowas hopes for reintegration within six months, but negotiations continue with military juntas who have aligned more with Russia.
- Relations have been strained since military coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali in recent years.
