10/8/2023-|Last update: 10/8/202303:26 PM (Mecca Time)
Today, Thursday, an emergency summit of the countries of the ECOWAS group kicked off in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, and it is expected that decisions will be taken against the coup leaders in Niger who announced the formation of a new government, while the Secretary-General of the United Nations expressed his concern about the conditions of detention of the ousted president, Muhammad Bazoum, who suffers from complete isolation and cannot He finds the food and medicine he needs, according to reports.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said that ECOWAS leaders imposed sanctions on military leaders in Niger in hopes of restoring constitutional order, to no avail.
He added that the deadline given to the military leaders in Niger did not lead to the desired result.
In a speech delivered before the start of the summit, the Nigerian president said, “We stand in solidarity with the people of Niger and President Bazoum, and we called on the military leaders to retract the detention of the president.”
The axes of the summit include discussing developments in the political situation in Niger after the expiration of the deadline granted by ECOWAS to the coup leaders to restore constitutional order in the country, and the immediate and unconditional release of President Baouzem.
This is the second summit of its kind within a week on the crisis in Niger, and it is expected to produce decisions and recommendations that would address the political impasse in Niamey.
The summit may take decisions that pave the way for the use of force to restore constitutional order in Niger, especially after the ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff Committee announced the development of an integrated military intervention plan awaiting the approval of heads of state and government.
Any escalation would further destabilize West Africa’s Sahel region, one of the world’s poorest regions, where a long-running armed insurgency has displaced millions and exacerbated a hunger crisis.
It is noteworthy that earlier, the coup leaders met with envoys of the President of Nigeria and the President of ECOWAS, without disclosing what happened in the meeting.
Alert and a new government
For their part, the leaders of the coup in Niger accused the French forces of carrying out hostile acts, which they described as dangerous and aimed at destabilizing the country’s security.
The spokesman for the military council, Colonel Abd al-Rahman Amadou, said that the French forces violated Niger’s airspace and released terrorists, which resulted in terrorist attacks on National Guard sites.
Amado added that the council decided to put the armed forces and security forces on high alert, after France’s attempts to destabilize security.
In conjunction with the ECOWAS moves, the military council in Niger announced – on state television last night – a new government led by economist Ali Al-Amin.
The government includes 21 ministers, including two generals from the military council who held the defense and interior portfolios.
American position
For its part, the US White House said it still believes that the Niger crisis must be resolved through diplomatic means.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that his country is studying a number of options regarding Niger, and that it is in contact with its partners to reach a path that leads to the return of constitutional order.
Miller added that Washington is very concerned about the health of the detained President of Niger and his family.
Miserable living conditions
In a related matter, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “very concerned” about Bazoum’s detention conditions, calling for his release.
Guterres denounced the “miserable living conditions in which President Bazoum is said to be living with his family,” according to a statement issued by the United Nations.
CNN reported on Wednesday that the military who overthrew Bazoum in a coup late last month put him in isolation and forced him to eat dry rice and pasta.
According to the network, the president said in a series of text messages that he exchanged with one of his friends that he was “deprived of contact with anyone since Friday,” in addition to not providing him with food or medicine.
Guterres’ spokesman said the secretary-general “reaffirms his concern for the health and safety of the president and his family” and calls again for his immediate and unconditional release and reinstatement as head of state.
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2023-08-10 12:22:30
