The departure of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from West Africa's most influential bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), raises concerns, especially in the areas of security and economics,

It is very difficult to imagine how a group of heads of state could negotiate with a government that is not legally established by the people of a country to leave ECOWAS. ECOWAS and AU have both established protocols not to recognise unconstitutional take over of power.