The Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) has agreed on a date for military intervention in Niger Republic.
Abdel-Fatau, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, announced the move at the end of the meeting of West African army chiefs in Accra on Friday 18 August.
The meeting was looking into a possible military intervention in Niger Republic if diplomacy fails. The main objective is to reverse the recent coup in the west African country.
He said, “We’ve already agreed and fine-tuned what will be required for the intervention.
“All member states of ECOWAS present here today have all committed elements, they have committed their own equipment, they have committed their own resources to undertake this mission, so I tell you we are ready to go anytime the order is given.”
According to ECOWAS, most of its 15 member countries are willing to contribute to the joint force, apart from countries under military rule – Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea – and Cape Verde.
“The D-day is also decided,” Musah added.
He also indicated that “all options are on the table” including mediation and sanctions, ECOWAS will not hold an “endless dialogue” and insists on restoring constitutional order in Niger.
“We want to get back to constitutional normalcy, and the decision is that the coup in Niger is one coup too many for the region, and we are putting a stop to it at this time, and we are drawing the line in the sand.”
The United Nations (UN) has asked Niger’s military rulers to immediately restore constitutional order.
Spokeswoman of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani stated that “The people have already been through so much hardship over the years, now, the very people they elected to build a pathway to end their destitution have been removed by force against the constitutional order and detained by the coup leaders. They must be released at once and democracy restored.”
On 30 July 2023 ECOWAS issued one-week deadline to Niger’s military authority to reinstall president Bazoum or face the threat of force. However, the period passed without any action from the regional body.
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