The official departure from the West African body on Tuesday comes after Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali last year formed their own alliance, the Confederation of Sahel States.

Thousands of people rallied on Tuesday in Niger and Burkina Faso in support of the withdrawal of their countries from the Economic

Niger's president Mohamed Bazoum has spent 550 days as a hostage of the military junta in the capital, Niamey .

DAKAR (Senegal), Jan 29 (Bernama-dpa) – The Sahel states of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are officially leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday after 50 years, reported German news agency dpa.

ECOWAS asked its member states to still recognise the passports of the exiting countries bearing the ECOWAS logo until further notice.

Thousands of people rallied in junta-led Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali on Tuesday to back their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc, due to take effect Wednesday.

The three junta-led West African nations, who have come together to form the Alliance of Sahel States (ASS) after their coups, formally left the Economic Community of West African States, after a year of diplomatic moves to avert their withdrawal.

The three Sahelian countries teamed up to form a confederation called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as they exit ECOWAS Wednesday.

The withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, takes effect on Wednesday after a year of

The memberships of the three West African countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have been formally withdrawn from the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), one year after the three junta-led nations jointly declared an intention to exit the regional bloc.

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have officially left West Africa’s main political and trade group ECOWAS after more than a year of diplomatic tension.