West Africa regional bloc says the impending exit of three coup-hit member states is disheartening

Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, says the impending exit of its three member states led by military juntas is disheartening after a nearly yearlong process of mediation to avert the unprecedented disintegration of the grouping. ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray said at a summit of regional heads of state in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, that although the three countries’ exit is “impending,” the bloc’s envoys in the dispute have worked for its collective peace and unity. Analysts say such an unprecedented division would be ECOWAS’ biggest challenge since its inception nearly 50 years ago.