Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to Introduce Biometric Passports After ECOWAS Withdrawal

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger plan to issue new biometric passports following their exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in favor of forming a new Sahel alliance.

The move comes after military leaders took control in all three countries.

Mali’s transitional leader, Asimi Goita, announced on Sunday that the three nations also intend to launch a shared information channel to ensure consistent communication across the states.

In January, the military-led Sahel neighbors jointly declared their decision to leave the 15-member ECOWAS, which has urged them to reconsider. Earlier this month, Burkina Faso began issuing new passports without the ECOWAS logo.

Goita’s comments came ahead of a meeting on Monday between the foreign ministers of the three nations to mark the anniversary of their alliance.

ECOWAS has expressed concern that the withdrawal of these countries will disrupt the bloc’s 49-year-old common market and freedom of movement, which impacts 400 million people.

The three nations are currently focused on combating insurgencies by groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS, which have destabilized the Sahel region and pose a threat to neighboring coastal states.

 

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