The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has authorized the standby deployment of its troops to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
Recall that the military took over government in the country, sacking President Mohammed Bazoum.
The approval was made public on Thursday in a communique read by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, shortly after the extra-ordinary summit of the regional body over the coup in Niger.
The leaders said the Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff should activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.
The leaders also issued a stern warning to member states whose actions, whether directly or indirectly, impeded the peaceful resolution of the Niger crisis.
The communiqué emphasized that such actions would entail consequences within the ECOWAS community.
Underscoring its continued commitment to restoring constitutional order through peaceful means, the leaders noted that all diplomatic efforts made by ECOWAS in resolving the crisis had been repelled at various intervals by the military rulership of the Republic of Niger.
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As the one-week ultimatum for the restoration of constitutional order expired, the ECOWAS Authority made the following decisions:
(A) Reiterates its strong condemnation of the attempted coup d’etat and the continued illegal detention of President Mohammed Bazoom, his family and members of his government.
(B) Further condemns the condition in which President Bazoum is being detained and holds the CMSP fully and solely responsible for the safety, security and physical integrity of President Bazoum, and members of his family and government.
(C) Upholds all measures and principles agreed upon by the Extraordinary Summit held on Niger on 30th of July, 2023.
(D) Underscores the determination of the ECOWAS Authority to keep all options on the table for the peaceful resolution of the crisis.
(E) Enforces all measures, in particular, border closures and strict travel bans as well as assets freezes on all persons or groups of individuals whose actions hinder all peaceful efforts aimed at ensuring the smooth and complete restoration of Niger’s constitutional order.
Furthermore, the West African leaders called on the African Union to endorse their decisions on the Niger crisis while also urging partner countries and institutions, including the United Nations, to support ECOWAS in its effort to ensure a quick restoration of constitutional order in Niger Republic.
The president of the ECOWAS Commission was further tasked with overseeing the implementation of sanctions stemming from the initial extraordinary meeting in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu, has affirmed the regional blocs’ steadfast commitment in supporting the people of Niger’s journey towards peace and democratic stability.
In his closing remarks at the 2nd Extraordinary Summit on the socio-political situation in Niger Republic on Thursday in Abuja, Tinubu expressed his appreciation for member states’ dedication toward all efforts in resolving the challenges of Niger.
