The military junta leaders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced on Saturday that they would not rejoin the West Africa regional bloc, ECOWAS, further complicating efforts to address coups and violence in the region.

This decision came during their first summit in Niamey, Niger’s capital, since their withdrawal from ECOWAS in January.

They accused ECOWAS of failing its mandate and vowed to strengthen their own union, the Alliance of Sahel States, formed last year amid strained relations with neighboring countries.

Niger’s military leader, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, criticized ECOWAS as a threat to their states, suggesting that the Alliance of Sahel States would better serve the interests of their peoples without foreign influence, NBC News has reported.

This summit preceded an ECOWAS meeting in Nigeria, highlighting the deep divisions within the bloc, which had been a key political authority for its 15 member states before the unprecedented withdrawal of the three countries.

The Alliance of Sahel States, established in September, is seen by its members as a means to forge new partnerships with countries like Russia and assert their independence from former colonial power France, which they accuse of meddling through ECOWAS.

Written by B.C. Begley