On Wednesday, the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, officially recognized the departure of three former members: Burkina Faso, Mali, and the Niger Republic.

The trio’s departure became effective on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at the end of a one-year notice period.

However, in the spirit of regional cooperation, ECOWAS has encouraged its member countries to continue recognizing the national passports of the three countries displaying the ECOWAS insignia until further notice.

According to an ECOWAS Authority statement, its doors remain open for future contacts with the three countries, and it requests that its member states respect national passports and identity cards having the ECOWAS insignia held by inhabitants of the leaving countries until further notice.

The West African bloc also called on its members to keep treating goods and services from the three nations in line with the investment policy and the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).

Additionally, it asked member states to support and cooperate fully with ECOWAS officials from the three affected countries during their Community assignments, and to permit citizens of the three countries to continue to enjoy the right of visa-free movement, residence, and establishment in accordance with the ECOWAS protocols until further notice.

These agreements will remain in effect until the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government has fully decided on the terms of our next interactions with the three nations.

“The Commission has established a framework to help the three nations have conversations on these modalities. The statement ended, “This message is essential to prevent confusion and disruption in our people’s lives and businesses during this transition period.”

A large number of people demonstrated in Niger and Burkina Faso on Tuesday in favor of their nations’ planned Wednesday exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).