Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have introduced a 0.5% import duty on goods from Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member nations, further straining relations between the three junta-led nations and the regional bloc they exited earlier this year.

The three countries, now part of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), initially formed a security pact in 2023 but have since expanded their cooperation into economic and military affairs. In a joint statement last week, the AES announced that the levy, which took effect on Friday, is intended to generate revenue for the alliance’s activities. The tax applies to all imports from ECOWAS nations, except for humanitarian aid.

This move effectively disrupts the free trade system that once connected West African economies under ECOWAS and marks a further shift away from regional integration. Economists warn of potential consequences, including higher consumer prices, supply chain disruptions, and increased economic instability in the region.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, among the world’s poorest countries, have been grappling with a decade-long Islamist insurgency linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which has killed thousands and displaced millions. The juntas in these nations accused ECOWAS of failing to provide adequate security assistance and have sought to strengthen their own economic and military alliances instead.

ECOWAS, which had imposed political and financial sanctions to push the juntas toward a return to constitutional rule, has kept diplomatic channels open despite announcing their permanent expulsion from the bloc earlier this year. The regional body has signaled that discussions will continue until July in an effort to prevent further division in West Africa.