Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have taken another step in solidifying their breakaway alliance by imposing a 0.5% levy on imported goods, a move that further distances them from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The military-led governments of the three countries announced that the levy, agreed upon on Friday, would take immediate effect.
It applies to all goods imported from outside their borders, except for humanitarian aid. However, they have yet to disclose how the funds will be utilized.
The three nations formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023 as a security pact, which has since evolved into a broader economic and military bloc. Plans are underway for a biometric passport system and deeper regional cooperation, signaling their commitment to moving away from ECOWAS structures.
The decision effectively ends free trade within West Africa under ECOWAS, highlighting the widening rift between the Sahel states and regional powers such as Nigeria and Ghana.
The juntas had announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS last year, accusing the bloc of failing to support their fight against Islamist insurgents.
ECOWAS had imposed economic and political sanctions in response, urging the countries to return to constitutional rule, but the measures had little impact.
Meanwhile, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are among the world’s poorest nations and have faced a decade-long Islamist insurgency linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The violence has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and deepened public distrust in democratic governance.
