Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all governed by military juntas, are set to launch new biometric passports in the coming days as part of their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
These countries, which formed the Alliance of Sahel States after a series of coups between 2020 and 2023, had announced plans to leave Ecowas in January 2023.
The new passports aim to harmonize travel documents among the alliance members. However, it remains uncertain how this will impact visa-free travel for their citizens within Ecowas, where they previously held a 15-nation regional passport.
Malian junta leader Col Assimi Goïta, who serves as the acting president of the Sahel alliance, confirmed the upcoming release of the passports during a televised address.
He also mentioned plans to launch a joint service for coordinated dissemination of information across the three nations.
The breakaway group’s decision to formally distance itself from Ecowas has raised concerns, with Ecowas warning that this move could exacerbate regional instability and insecurity.
The Sahel region has long struggled with jihadist violence, which the military juntas had cited as a reason for their coups, though the violence persists.
In addition to breaking ties with ECOWAS, these countries have also expelled French soldiers who had been helping to combat jihadist groups, shifting their military support towards Russia.
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