General Chiani (center), who leads the junta after the coup at a supporter demonstration in the stadium in Niamey Photo: Anadolu agency < p> West African bloc Allies ordered the activation of reserve forces for possible use against the junta that seized power in Niger in July. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said it wants a peaceful restoration of democracy, but all options have been considered, including the use of force.
After a summit of heads of state in the Nigerian capital Abuja, the bloc pledged to apply sanctions, travel bans and a freeze assets against those who prevent the return to power of democratically elected Mohamed Bazum as president.
“No option is being considered, including the use of force as a last resort,” said Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria and Chairman of ECOWAS.
“I hope that together we can achieve a peace settlement as a road map to restore stability and democracy in Niger,” he said. “All is not lost yet.”
Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria and Chairman of ECOWAS, at the African Meeting in Abuja. Photo: Avalon
After Mr. Tinubu's speech, an official communiqué was read containing a resolution asking the bloc's defense chiefs to «immediately activate the ECOWAS Reserve Force with all its elements.»
Another resolution spoke of an order to «deploy the Reserve Force forces of ECOWAS to restore constitutional order in the Republic of the Niger”, which was immediately followed by another, which spoke of the restoration of such order by “peaceful means”.
Security analysts say the regional force could take weeks or more to assemble, which could leave room for negotiations.
The ECOWAS statement did not specify how the force would be funded, which countries would be involved, or how many troops and what equipment they could provide.
The junta in Niamey violated the ECOWAS deadline for resigning on August 6, instead closing Niger's airspace and vowing to defend the country from any foreign attack.
ECOWAS accused the generals in Niamey of «brazenly repelling» all the bloc's attempts at diplomatic engagement and sought to project an image of determination and unity.
> West African leaders at an extraordinary ECOWAS summit on Niger in Abuja, Nigeria. Photo: Avalon. power in coups over the past two years, sided with the Niger junta and vowed to defend it.
The summit statement did not acknowledge the split, although Mali and Burkina Faso were vocal in their opposition to the pressure being put on Niger. were ready to back down or engage in meaningful negotiations.
Hours before the Abuja summit, the junta appointed a new government, clearly seeking to strengthen its position and present itself as the legitimate administration of Niger after the July 26 coup.
The United Nations and Western Powers have supported ECOWAS's efforts to convince the junta to relinquish power and release Mr. Bazum, who is being held at his residence.
Wagner chief hails coup in Niger
Western countries fear that Niger could follow in the footsteps of Mali. and seek help from the Russian Wagner Group, which the United States has recognized as a transnational criminal organization. Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner's leader, hailed the coup in Niger and said his forces were ready to restore order.
Despite being one of the world's poorest countries, Niger, a landlocked country more than twice the size of France, is strategically important as the world's seventh largest producer of uranium, a critical material for nuclear power.
Until the coup, it has also been an important ally of the West in a region where other countries have turned their backs on former colonial power France in favor of closer ties with Russia.
US troops, France, Germany and Italy are stationed there as part of an international struggle against a long-standing Islamist insurgency that has spread across the Sahel from Mali, displacing millions and causing a hunger crisis. Before the coup, Niger fared better than its neighbors Burkina Faso. and Mali in the fight against violence.
Following the pattern seen after the coups in these two countries between 2020 and 2022, the junta in Niamey resorts to scathing anti-French rhetoric, seeking to blame France for the problems Niger. and accusing him of a number of violations of sovereignty, which Paris denies.
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