Mali, Burkina Faso and NIger announced on Monday they have imposed a 0.5 percent tariff on all goods imported from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with humanitarian aid being the only exception. The tariffs were decided on Friday by the group and went into effect immediately.
The three countries left ECOWAS last year to form their own confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and the group has stated that the tariffs now being imposed will be used to fund the new confederation and promote financial independence amongst the nations.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger each saw military coups take place in 2021,2022 and 2023 respectively which saw the removal of Western friendly governments and the rise of military led governments that have sought to break away from what they see as Western domination of their countries and resources. Since 2023 the countries have entered into security pacts with a joint military force, common passport system and free movement of people.
All three AES states have ongoing insurgencies from Al-Qaeda backed rebels which they claimed the French, U.S. and their former ECOWAS partners failed to assist in combating.
After the coup in Niger in August of 2023, which saw the expulsion of American, French and other foreign troops, ECOWAS briefly considered a military intervention into Niger to return former President Mohamed Bazoum back to power, though they ultimately chose not to intervene.
The imposition of tariffs has ended a period of free trade throughout Western Africa and may further strain relations between the now two competing blocs within the region.