In the latest twist in the relationship between Burkina Faso and the Economic Community of West African States, the country has announced a passport without the Ecowass logo, which has now solidified its breakaway from the regional bloc.
The Security Minister, Mahamadou Sana, made the announcement on Tuesday. He confirmed that the country has decided to issue a new passport without the ECOWAS logo.
It has been believed that the country has decided to act in that way as a protest to the sections that have been melted on them, Niger and Mali, following military coups that are place in the three African countries.
The minister noted that the passport does not feature the ECOWAS logo or mention ECOWAS. He retracted that since the beginning of January, the country has withdrawn all its collaborations with the body; he confirmed that the recent move was in realization of the actions that the country took against ECOWAS.
The relationships between the countries and ECOWAS have been destroyed since the imposition of sanctions in response to the military takeover of the three countries. Despite the imposition of sanctions, the EACOWAS has always called on the countries to return to democratic rule, where the constitution guides the country’s activities before the sanctions are lifted.
Despite the plea by the ECOWAS, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have all rejected the pleas to bring them back into the regional bloc; they had accused the bloc of pan-African ideals for which it was founded.
Despite the sanctions melted on the country, according to the Henley Passport Index, Burkina Faso’s passport remains relatively strong, ranked 78th globally; they provide visa-free access to 60 destinations, including current ECOWAS member countries.
The most recent concern raised by the ECOWAS noted that the withdrawal of the nations from the regional bloc could affect the movement of people and goods within its borders, which would impact the bloc’s 400 million citizens.
The chairman of ECOWAS and the president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has been trying to convince the three countries to return to the regional bloc by reconsidering their exit, noting that the organization will continue to be friends with all nations.
