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Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have announced they are leaving the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

The junta-led countries had already been suspended from the bloc, which has been urging them to return to democratic rule.

The three governments said it was a "sovereign decision" to withdraw from Ecowas, claiming that Ecowas had "drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism".

Ecowas said the three countries were "important members of the community" and that the bloc "remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse". It also said it had not yet received formal notification from the countries about their withdrawal from the bloc.

According to the Ecowas treaty, member states wishing to withdraw must give written notice a year in advance, and continue to abide by its provisions during that year.

Timothy Musa Kabba is Sierra Leone鈥檚 Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. He said sanctions imposed against the three nations had caused 鈥渁pparent hardship鈥�. He told Newsday: 鈥淓fforts have been made by Ecowas to pacify the political impasse in these countries but so far, we鈥檝e not been successful.鈥�

(Picture: Shows Timothy Musa Kabba, Sierra Leone鈥檚 Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Credit: Ute Grabowsky / Photothek via Getty Images.)

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