Former diplomats on Thursday warned that the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States could undermine regional stability, potentially escalating insurgency and extremism in the Sahel.

In response, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced their exit last January and accused ECOWAS of failing to safeguard member states and of aligning too closely with foreign powers.

Following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, ECOWAS outlined four key measures to maintain regional cooperation and minimize disruptionsCitizens of the three nations can still travel visa-free within ECOWAS,