Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger accused the bloc of having double standards in punishing their military juntas. Negotiations failed to change their minds.

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.

Junta-led countries Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso officially left West Africa's main political and trade group ECOWAS on Wednesday after more than a year of diplomatic tensions.

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.

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have officially severed ties with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), marking a

Officials and citizens gathered for a ceremony in the southwest town of Kangaba to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso's decision to quit regional bloc ECOWAS. The three junta-led nations formed their own regional trade group,

The three junta-led West African nations of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have formally withdrawn from the regional bloc known as ECOWAS, the body said Wednesday, the culmination of a yearlong process during which the group tried to avert its unprecedented disintegration.

In parts of West Africa, however, ECOWAS has lost its effectiveness and support among citizens, who see it as representing only the interests of the leaders and not that of the ma