Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday gave Niger’s junta a week to relinquish power and reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazuma, and warned of the use of force if it did not.
At an emergency summit in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, ECOWAS leaders demanded that the junta restore constitutional order within a week, failing which they promised to take all necessary measures to restore it.
“Such measures may also include the use of force,” the statement said, adding that a meeting of ECOWAS chiefs of staff is scheduled for Sunday after the summit to discuss it.
The ECOWAS summit also decided to impose financial sanctions on the leaders of the junta, as well as freeze “all commercial and financial transactions” between ECOWAS members and Niger.
In Niger’s capital, Niamey, several thousand people with flags of Niger and Russia gathered outside the country’s parliament on Sunday in a show of support for the junta.
They then marched to the French embassy, shouting “long live Putin” and “down with France”.
Some protesters set the embassy doors on fire and tried to break into the embassy, but were dispersed with tear gas.
Protesters were angered by the announcement by former colonial power France that it was suspending development and budget aid to Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries, because of the coup.
France, which has 1,500 troops in Niger, condemned the attack on its embassy, warned it would retaliate if its citizens or interests were attacked, and stressed it would support any regional initiative to restore order in Niger.
If someone attacks French citizens, the army, diplomats and French interests, France will respond immediately and persistently,
the office of the French president said.
It has already been reported that the soldiers of the presidential guard arrested the pro-Western president elected in 2021, Mohamed Bazum, in the capital’s palace on Wednesday.
In the evening of the same day, ten army officers announced on television that the so-called National Homeland Security Council was taking over, and the commander of the presidential guard, Abdurahman Omar Tchiani, declared himself the chairman of this council.
The head of diplomacy of the European Union, Joseph Borrell, has announced that the EU will not recognize the putschists, and that the EU will indefinitely suspend cooperation with Niger in the field of security, as well as budget assistance.
Recently, Russia is trying to strengthen its influence in Africa and the regimes of several countries on this continent use the services of the mercenary group “Wagner”.
2023-07-30 15:23:47
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