ECOWAS agrees on intervention in Niger
By Bintu Jidda kanempress
19 august 2023
The West African bloc, Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS has agreed on a “D-day” for possible military intervention to restore democracy in Niger, after military junta toppled and detained President Mohamed Bazoum last month.
A senior official said ECOWAS agreed on Friday to activate a standby force as a last resort if diplomatic efforts fail.
The official did not disclose when that is.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah said this at the closing ceremony of a two-day meeting of West African army chiefs in Ghana’s capital, Accra.
The defence chiefs had met to fine-tune details of the potential military operation to restore President Bazoum if ongoing negotiations with the coup leaders fail.
Most of ECOWAS’s 15 member states are prepared to contribute to the joint force, except Cape Verde and those also under military rule, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
