The President of Guinea-Bissau considered that the coup in Niger constitutes an existential threat to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on the eve of a summit to be held by the regional bloc in Nigeria to discuss the crisis in the Sahel region.
President Omar Sissoko Empalo told reporters before heading to Abuja to attend the ECOWAS meeting on Thursday that the ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum is the only legitimate leader of that country.
“The only president we recognize is Bazoum (…) He is the person chosen by the people,” Embalo confirmed.
He added, “If you do not want a government or a president, punish them through the ballot box (…) Coups must be banned.”
Empalo said that in the wake of coups in three other ECOWAS member states since 2020, the future of the regional bloc may be in doubt.
“The situation that ECOWAS is going through is really worrying (…) This organization was until now the safest and strongest on the entire continent,” he added, adding, “Today we risk making it disappear.”
But he added that he did not think it would come to that extent.
And ECOWAS threatened during a summit held on July 30 that it might use military force in Niger if the coup leaders did not hand over power to Bazoum within a week, but the deadline expired without any change.
Embalo pointed out that if ECOWAS chooses to intervene militarily in Niger, the National Defense Council of Guinea-Bissau will decide whether the country will contribute soldiers to this force or not.
“If the decision is taken at this level, then the president can issue a decree without going through parliament,” he said.
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2023-08-10 00:20:04
