West African bloc ECOWAS said in a statement on Sunday that it was ready for "a negotiated solution" after Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger said they were quitting the group.

The three countries are "important members of the Community" and the bloc "remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse", said ECOWAS in a statement, adding that it had "yet to receive any direct formal notification" from the countries about their withdrawal.