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.

Thousands of people rallied Tuesday in Niger and Burkina Faso in support of the withdrawal of their countries from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, which is due to take effect today.

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,