West African bloc ECOWAS to hold extraordinary meeting over junta states' exit decision

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has scheduled an extraordinary meeting of its mediation and security council for Feb. 8 to discuss a joint decision by junta-led countries Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to leave the bloc.

ECOWAS has invited members to the ministerial-level meeting in the Nigerian capital Abuja, according to one of the invitations dated Friday and seen by Reuters on Saturday.