ECOWAS to continue accepting old passports, ID cards from citizens of three Sahel states after exit

Citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger who hold passports and ID cards with the ECOWAS logo will still get access to the other 12 member countries of the west African regional bloc.

This is despite the official exit of these three countries from ECOWAS on January 29, to focus on their own bloc known as the Confederation of Sahel States (AES).

In a statement, ECOWAS heads of state said the withdraw of the trio became effective on January 29. However, some measures will continue to be in place until further notice “in the spirit of regional solidarity and in the interest of the people, as well as the decision of the ECOWAS Authority to keep ECOWAS’ doors open.”

In this regard, the leaders directed all relevant authorities within and outside ECOWAS Member States to “recognize national passports and identity cards bearing the ECOWAS logo held by the citizens of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, until further notice.”

Apart from the recognition of passports and ID cards, ECOWAS says citizens of the three affected countries will also continue to enjoy the right of visa-free movement, residence, and establishment in accordance with the ECOWAS protocols, as well as the recognition and acceptance of goods and services coming from the three countries in line with the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and investment policy.

The three countries had faced severe criticism when they announced plans to abandon the ECOWAS passport and regional ID card under the WURI project, when they signalled their intention to quit the economic and political bloc early last year.

Meanwhile, on the same day the withdrawal of the three countries from ECOWAS took effect, they went ahead to launch their common biometric passport, which they say will be the new travel document for citizens of the zone.

Burkina Faso’s transitional leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, was among the first to get a copy of the AES common passport, which was announced days earlier by the Chairperson of AES and Malian leader, Lt Gen Assimi Goïta.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric passport  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  ECOWAS  |  identity document  |  Sahel