The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS or CEDEAO) today rejected the junta leader’s announcement in Niger –of General Abduraman Ciani, who overthrew on July 26 the president-elect Mohamed Bazum about a “transitional period that will not exceed “three years”.
“The transition period of three years is not acceptablesaid ECOWAS Commissioner Abdul Fatta Musa in an interview he gave to Al Jazeera and was broadcast today. “We wish for the restoration of constitutional order as soon as possible,” he stressed.
The day before yesterday, Saturday, an ECOWAS delegation led by the former president of Nigeria, Abdulsalami Abubakar, went to Niger for negotiations with the coup plotters, in an attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. In contrast to the previous ECOWAS diplomatic initiative earlier this month, this time the delegation held talks with General Chiani while also meeting ousted president Mohamed Bazum, who is in custody.
The junta leader on Saturday accused ECOWAS of preparing an attack on Niger with the support of foreign troops – but without naming a specific country. He warned that Niger’s armed forces are ready to defend themselves in the event of an attack, noting that “it will not be a healthy walk, as some believe.”
The Economic Community of West African States is demanding the immediate release of Niger’s president-elect and his reinstatement. It has imposed heavy economic sanctions on Niger since July 30 and appears ready to launch a military intervention, without revealing a timetable or details of such an operation.
Niger is the fourth West African country to experience a coup since 2020, following Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.
The international community it does not hide its concern about destabilization in the wider Sahel region, which is facing jihadist insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Source: News Beast
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