Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger accused a regional bloc known as ECOWAS of having double standards in punishing their military juntas. Negotiations failed to change their minds.

The three junta-led West African nations withdrawal is the culmination of a yearlong process during which the grouping tried to avert its unprecedented disintegration.

Three countries under military rule have officially left West African regional bloc Ecowas, after more than a year of diplomatic tensions. The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger is a huge blow to Ecowas, which at 50 years old is considered Africa's most important regional group.

Thousands of people rallied Tuesday in Niger and Burkina Faso in support of the withdrawal of their countries from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, which is due to take effect today.

Scores of people on Tuesday rallied in Niger and Burkina Faso in support of the withdrawal of their countries from the Economic Community of West African

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have officially severed ties with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), marking a

Amid a decade-long push by African countries to abolish colonial-era wigs in judicial systems, posts have surfaced online claiming Burkina Faso’s President Captain Ibrahim Traore has officially banned the headwear.

Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso, is the heartland of traditional textile weaving. Here, the streets are dotted with workshops where artisans, or moogos, as they're locally known, weave intricate designs using the same methods their ancestors did.

The three countries, led by military governments, cited ECOWAS's alleged alignment with former colonial powers and failure to support their fight against terrorism as reasons for their departure.

As countries continue to pivot from France, Paris too has begun implementing a new Africa strategy launched in late 2024: There are plans to permanently reduce troop presence in countries that have not yet kicked out French forces, like Gabon, where there are still about 300 French soldiers.

The Sahel region is a geographical belt in Africa that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, between the Sahara Desert in the north and the Savannah in the south. It is characterised by challenging environmental crises and conflicts.