Burkina Faso has rolled out new biometric passports that omit the logo of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), marking a further step toward its exit from the regional bloc after a military coup brought new leadership to power.
Alongside Niger and Mali, Burkina Faso declared its intention to leave ECOWAS in January, despite the bloc’s efforts to persuade the nations to reverse their decisions.
“On this passport, there’s no ECOWAS logo, and no mention of ECOWAS either. Since January, Burkina Faso has decided to withdraw from this body, and this is just a realisation of the action already taken by Burkina Faso,” Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced during the launch of the new passports.
ECOWAS has warned that the withdrawal of these nations will negatively affect the movement and market activities of its 400 million citizens.
These developments coincide with ongoing conflicts against militant groups tied to al Qaeda and Islamic State, which have destabilized the central Sahel region for over a decade.
Since a wave of coups between 2020 and 2023, the three countries have not only formed a joint defense pact called the Alliance of Sahel States but have also cut military and diplomatic ties with Western nations in favor of stronger ties with Russia.
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