The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued an order on Thursday for its standby force to intervene and restore constitutional order in the Niger Republic following the recent coup.
The President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, announced the decision during an extraordinary meeting held in Abuja. He read out the resolution of ECOWAS, which called for the deployment of the standby force to address the situation in Niger.
ECOWAS emphasized that all attempts at dialogue with the military junta in Niger had been met with defiance, and the coup leaders had persistently rejected efforts to engage in peaceful negotiations. The regional body expressed concern over the continued detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members.
The resolution included the following key points:
The committee of the Chief of Defence Staff was directed to activate the ECOWAS standby force immediately.
The deployment of the ECOWAS standby force was ordered to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
ECOWAS reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.
The regional body also called upon the African Union (AU), partner countries, and institutions to support the resolution and efforts to address the political crisis in Niger.
This move by ECOWAS signifies its strong stance against the military coup in Niger and its determination to take action to restore democratic governance in the country.