ECOWAS AUTHORITY ADMITS BURKINA FASO, MALI AND NIGER AS NON-ECOWAS MEMBERS OF GIABA
ECOWAS AUTHORITY ADMITS BURKINA FASO, MALI AND NIGER AS NON-ECOWAS MEMBERS OF GIABA
The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has granted the admission of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as non-ECOWAS members of GIABA. The admission of the three countries is dependent on their strong political commitment to fully implement obligations required of GIABA members, including addressing deficiencies in their Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism/Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) frameworks, and cooperating and complying with all obligations related to Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism, and Countering Proliferation Financing as provided for under the GIABA Statute.
This was part of decisions reached at the end of the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority held on 14 December 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, under the chairmanship of H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and current Chair of the Authority.
It would be recalled that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formally completed their withdrawal from the ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, after they have formed a new confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Previously, the GIABA Ministerial Committee (GMC) had recommended the applications of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger for admission as non-ECOWAS members of GIABA during its 2nd Extraordinary session held on July 19, 2025, in Accra, Ghana.
The GIABA establishment statute permits it to accept non-ECOWAS member States as members, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. With the new admissions, GIABA now has five non-ECOWAS countries in addition to Sao Tome and Principe and the Union of Comoros.