The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said the bloc has agreed on an undisclosed date to send troops to Niger Republic if dialogue with the military junta fails to restore the democratic government of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, made the announcement at the end of the meeting of West African army chiefs in Accra on Friday.
“We’ve already agreed and fine tuned what will be required for the intervention,” he said.
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“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.”
ECOWAS members have been coordinating a possible armed intervention aimed at reversing the coup in Niger. The bloc said most of its 15 member states are willing to contribute to the joint force, except for countries under military rule – Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea – and Cape Verde.
“The D-day is also decided,” Musah added.
He stated that while “all options are on the table” including mediation and sanctions, ECOWAS will not hold an “endless dialogue,” reiterating the bloc’s determination to restore 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,” he said.
In response to this announcement, Burkina Faso and Mali have reportedly deployed warplanes to Niger. The two West African countries, which are also under military rule, have pledged allegiance to the Niger coupists, vowing to resist any attempt by ECOWAS to restore a democratic government.
“The disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger could destabilize the entire region,” the governments of Burkina Faso and Mali said in a joint statement broadcast on Niger’s national television.
According to the television station, the military leaders from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger convened Friday in the Nigerien capital Niamey to decide on “concrete measures” in case ECOWAS chooses to “escalate a war.”
Also, thousands of people lined up outside the main stadium in Niamey on Saturday to register as volunteer fighters or to help with other needs in case the junta in Niger requires support against a possible military intervention by regional countries, according to a video posted by VoA.
Thousands of people lined up outside the main stadium in Niamey on Saturday to register as volunteer fighters or to help with other needs in case the junta in Niger requires support against a possible military intervention by regional countries. (AP) pic.twitter.com/VQ3uagLU81
— Voice of America (@VOANews) August 19, 2023
Since July 26, when the Niger military junta led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, overthrew the democratic government of President Bazoum, all efforts by ECOWAS to restore constitutional order have failed.
The expiration of the seven-day ultimatum issued on July 30 to the coupists by the bloc’s leaders gave rise to the push for military intervention, which they said is the last resort.
With diplomacy failing, all parties are gearing up for a possible military action, which has been largely opposed, mainly because of its potential to escalate the humanitarian crisis in northern Nigeria and Niger.
The United Nations (UN) has once again urged Niger’s military authorities to promptly restore the elected government of President Bazoum.
“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,” Spokeswoman for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, said in a statement.