APA-Niamey (Niger) – The deadline given by the regional organisation to the Nigerien authorities expired on Sunday August 6.
Another extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of West African States has been called for Thursday, August 10, by its current president, Bola Ahmad Tinubu. On this occasion, West African leaders will examine the political situation in Niger.
At their first extraordinary meeting in Abuja on Sunday, July 30, the ECOWAS leaders imposed economic and financial sanctions on Niger.
They also gave the new authorities in Niamey a seven-day ultimatum to restore constitutional order.
This demand has not yet been met by the National Committee for the Defense of the Fatherland (CNSP).
The junta, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has threatened to retaliate against an ECOWAS member country if the organization launches an operation against Niger.
Countries such as Senegal, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire have expressed their willingness to intervene militarily, but for the time being the bloc prefers dialogue.
But no peaceful solution seems to have emerged from these various missions.
France, a staunch opponent of the coup, has suspended its development aid and support for the Niger government.
The new rulers of Niamey responded by renouncing military agreements and protocols with Paris, which rejected the decision, arguing that it was not negotiated by legitimate authorities.
Niger’s neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, also under military regime, are backing the putschists and threatened to leave ECOWAS if Niamey was invaded a regional force.
In this context, a delegation from Bamako and Ouagadougou traveled to Niamey on Monday, August 7, to meet with the new Niger authorities, who have announced the closure of the country’s airspace in anticipation of a possible ECOWAS invasion.
The putschists claim to have discovered the “pre-deployment” of ECOWAS troops in two Central African countries.
AC/lb/as/APA