Junta-led West African states to launch new passport

Three West African nations governed by military juntas—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—are set to launch a new biometric passport as part of their withdrawal from the regional bloc, ECOWAS. The military leaders, who seized power in coups between 2020 and 2023, announced their departure from ECOWAS in January, forming the Alliance of Sahel States to solidify their partnership. Malian junta leader Col Assimi Goïta, acting president of the Sahel alliance, revealed the new passport plans in a televised address. He said the passport, which will circulate "in the coming days," is aimed at harmonizing travel documents across the alliance. This move marks the first anniversary of the alliance's creation and comes amid ongoing resistance to restoring civilian rule despite ECOWAS sanctions.

The passport launch raises questions about how it will impact travel to other ECOWAS countries, where citizens of the 15-member bloc currently enjoy visa-free movement. Burkina Faso previously announced plans for a biometric passport without the ECOWAS logo. The three nations remain committed to building a "community of sovereign peoples" based on African values, distancing themselves from foreign powers. The Sahel alliance has also expanded its scope to include more than just military cooperation, with plans for a joint service to disseminate information across their states.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS has expressed concern that the breakaway group poses risks of regional disintegration and worsened insecurity, especially as the Sahel continues to grapple with jihadist violence that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions. The military leaders have expelled French troops and turned to Russia for military support, yet they have struggled to quell the insurgency that contributed to their rise to power. ⚡ Image Credit: GettyImages