04 Aug 2023 at 22:10 Update: an hour ago
West African countries have made a plan to intervene militarily in Niger. They hope to send a signal to the coup plotters in the country, who have been given until Sunday to reverse their action.
The economic partnership ECOWAS, consisting of fifteen West African countries, has been discussing a possible solution to the situation in Niger in recent days. A group of soldiers seized power there last week.
An ECOWAS delegation had already tried to negotiate with the coup plotters, but that was still unsuccessful. Now, just in case, the countries have made a plan to intervene militarily. This plan states, for example, which resources are needed and how the troops are deployed.
“We want diplomacy to work. And we want this message to be clearly conveyed to them: that we give them every opportunity to reverse what they have done,” Abdel-Fatau Musah stressed on behalf of ECOWAS.
According to Reuters Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has written to his government calling on it to prepare for various options, including the deployment of military personnel. Senegal has also said it will send troops.
Nigerien junta wants to fight back
The countries gave Niger an ultimatum last week: the coup plotters must have withdrawn by Sunday. The democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum must therefore be released.
The junta has still not responded. The coup plotters have indicated that they want to fight back if they are attacked. Mali and Burkina Faso, countries where a military junta is also in power, join in this.
In the meantime, several Western countries have canceled their cooperation with Niger, including the Netherlands. For example, it concerns health projects. In recent days, the countries have also been evacuating their citizens. With the help of France, the Netherlands has brought back nineteen compatriots.
2023-08-04 20:10:41
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