Rethinking Regional Integration and Migration Governance: Assessing the Impact of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s Withdrawal from ECOWAS on Regional Migration Governance

Rooted in a long-standing pan-African vision of economic unity and championed by the African Union and its predecessor the Organization of African Unity, the African continent’s vision for a common market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ease in the movement of persons under the Protocol for the Free Movement of Persons (FMP) are important priorities for the continent. This vision was given concrete form through the 1991 Abuja Treaty, which established a phased roadmap toward the creation of an African Economic Community, anchored in the strengthening of Regional Economic Communities (RECs). Despite uneven implementation, RECs have actively worked to attain the objectives of the Abuja treaty and the continent’s vision to establish the largest common market in the world. 

Since its establishment in May 1975, the ECOWAS has emerged as one of Africa’s most prominent regional integration frameworks, particularly in advancing mobility and economic cooperation among its member states. Compared to other Regional Economic Communities, the ECOWAS has achieved regional integration and free movement aspirations by adopting the Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment Protocol which has allowed over 80 million of West African people to live, work and move within the region. However, these achievements are facing serious challenges following the decision of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali to withdraw from ECOWAS.

In January 2024, the three former members of the ECOWAS announced their immediate withdrawal from the ECOWAS later forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in July 2024. Maintaining transitional arrangements that sustain free movement and recognition of passports, the ECOWAS announced the official exit of the AES countries from the organization. While much can be said regarding the political and security reasons behind this decision to withdraw from the ECOWAS, the impact of this decision on mobility and livelihoods in the region do not receive the warranted attention. 

Recognizing this gap, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung African Migration Policy Center (FES AMPC) and the Civil Society Network on Migration and Development (CSOnetMADE) conducted a study aimed at understanding the human impact of the withdrawal on people that strongly rely on mobility for their livelihoods. Using key informant interviews and focus group discussions in borderlands (where the heap of the impact is felt), the study aimed at exploring the current and perceived impact of the decision on labor migrants and cross border traders working in the region. The study was completed in September 2025 and subsequently discussed with key stakeholders in October 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria.

Against this background, the study’s findings reveal a range of economic, social, and mobility-related impacts on labor migrants and cross-border traders in communities affected by the decision to withdraw. This phenomenon has exposed gaps in legal and institutional enforcement of free movement protocols as well as weaknesses in harmonizing national laws with regional commitments. Furthermore, the study finds that shrinking mobility pathways and rising costs to those that remain have affected the livelihoods of communities in and around these countries. This also exposes vulnerable members of the community such as women and youth – who form a significant portion of those moving the region - increased bureaucratic hurdles and insecurity along previously open routes exacerbate risks of exploitation. While CSO networks are doing their best to mitigate these risks, lack of clear legal frameworks and funding coupled with increasing insecurities have strained their capacity to assist vulnerable populations. 

To mitigate these challenges the study recommends:

• Strengthen bilateral relations to complement the gap created in the absence of regional frameworks by enhancing legal protection at national levels and fostering new agreements with partner countries;

• Revitalize ECOWAS mechanisms in order to bridge political divides and rebuild trust in regional arrangements;

• Empower local authorities and civil society actors as frontline actors managing migration and supporting migrants in new contexts not guaranteed by regional frameworks for mobility;

• Ensuring international actors align aid with local contexts guaranteeing mobility and regional integration as opposed to the usual security driven approaches;

• Establish national and regional migrant protection standards to create unified minimum standards for migrant rights, labor protections, and access to services across all West African countries. 

The study was officially launched in Addis Ababa on 17 March 2026 with discussions that included officials from Burkina Faso, Niger and Ghana. In addition, development partners like EU-AU representatives were present during the launch of the study. FES AMPC and its partners will continue to work on the issue to ensure the interests of migrants are not ignored as this political development continues. 

Read the study in English or French.