Should diplomatic efforts to reverse a coup in Niger fail, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) stands able to intervene militarily, a senior official instructed military chiefs who have been assembly in Ghana on Thursday to debate the small print of a standby power.
Niger navy officers deposed President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and have defied calls from the United Nations, ECOWAS and Western powers to reinstate him, prompting West African heads of state to order the standby power to be assembled.
“Let no one be in doubt that if everything else fails, the valiant forces of West Africa…are ready to answer to the call of duty,” ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah stated.
“By all means available, constitutional order will be restored in the country,” he instructed assembled protection chiefs from member international locations, itemizing previous ECOWAS deployments in Gambia, Liberia and elsewhere as examples of readiness.
Niger has strategic significance past West Africa due to its function as a hub for international troops concerned within the battle in opposition to insurgents within the Sahel area and its uranium and oil reserves.
Western international locations concern the junta might comply with the lead of neighboring Mali, the place the navy authorities threw out French troops and as a substitute invited in mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group, which has welcomed the coup in Niger.
In Niger’s capital Niamey, the place massive crowds have taken half in protests in opposition to ECOWAS and in favor of the coup leaders, residents rejected the thought of an outdoor intervention to reinstate the elected president and civilian authorities.
“I’m not afraid because I know our armed forces are well prepared to deal with any eventuality,” stated radio technician Omar Yaye.
“ECOWAS is manipulated by foreign powers. When we see the reactions of France since the coup and especially the harshness of ECOWAS I can only think that these are coordinated actions between France and ECOWAS,” he stated.
‘Cat and mouse’
France, Niger’s former colonial ruler, has denied the junta’s accusation that it was in search of to destabilize the nation or that it had violated its airspace. It has stated it supported ECOWAS efforts to revive constitutional order.
French troops, together with U.S., German and Italian forces, are current in Niger as a part of worldwide efforts to fight the insurgents who’ve induced 1000’s of deaths and compelled thousands and thousands to flee their houses over the previous decade.
Musah rejected the accusation that ECOWAS was being manipulated by France or another exterior energy.
“What they forget is that ECOWAS is a rules-based organization. We have our protocols, we have our norms and we are ready to protect them,” he stated.
“That’s why the heads of state are saying if push comes to shove we are going into Niger with our own contingents, own equipment and our own resources to make sure we restore constitutional order. If other democracy-loving partners want to support us they are welcome,” he stated.
Musah accused the Niger coup leaders of “playing cat-and-mouse” with ECOWAS by refusing to fulfill with its envoys and in search of justifications for his or her takeover of energy.
He stated a lot of the bloc’s 15 member states have been ready to take part within the standby power that would intervene in Niger. The exceptions have been these additionally beneath navy rule – Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea – and tiny Cape Verde.
Musah criticized the junta’s announcement that it had components to place Bazoum, who’s being detained, on trial for treason. The United Nations, European Union and ECOWAS have all expressed issues over the situations of his detention.
“The irony of it is that somebody who is in a hostage situation himself…is being charged with treason. When did he commit that high treason is everybody’s guess,” Musah stated.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
