One Region, Two Blocks: What Is The Future Of West Africa’s Regional Cooperation?

In September 2023, the Liptako-Gourma Charter, a mutual defense pact between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, transformed into the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in January 2025. The three Sahel states withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), leaving the regional organization with a reduced geographical area, population, and border. This development has caused significant impacts on ECOWAS.

The loss of 54% of ECOWAS's land area has highlighted the limitations of ECOWAS's enforcement capabilities. ECOWAS failed to provide military support during the 2023 Niger coup, demonstrating the challenges of collective action amidst discord among member states. The withdrawal also exposed ECOWAS's inconsistent enforcement of democratic governance criteria, penalizing military regimes while allowing constitutional changes by elected officials.

However, ECOWAS pragmatically preserved economic ties with the AES nations. The Trade Liberalisation Scheme and visa-free mobility for AES citizens have been maintained to retain functional relationships. This pragmatism has helped preserve the course of regional integration.

The Sahel countries, despite their exit, will continue to have access to ECOWAS ports for economic necessity. The coastal states' maritime facilities and transit systems can be leveraged by ECOWAS to promote democratic transformation and regional integration.

Despite the challenges, ECOWAS remains actively engaged in free movement corridors, trade frameworks, and institutional memory from past successes in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. The organization's future may take various paths, but its internal decisions will play a significant role in determining its impact in the coming years.