ECOWAS defence chiefs agree ‘D-day’ for Niger army intervention | Navy Information

West Africa’s fundamental bloc has agreed on a “D-day” for doable army intervention to revive democracy in Niger after generals toppled and detained President Mohamed Bazoum final month.

The Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed on Friday to activate a standby power as a final resort if diplomatic efforts fail, a senior official mentioned with out disclosing when that’s.

“We’re able to go anytime the order is given,” ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Safety Abdel-Fatau Musah mentioned through the closing ceremony of a two-day assembly of West African military chiefs in Ghana’s capital, Accra.

“The D-day can be determined. We’ve already agreed and fine-tuned what will likely be required for the intervention,” he mentioned, emphasising that ECOWAS was nonetheless searching for to have interaction peacefully with Niger’s army leaders.

“As we converse, we’re nonetheless readying [a] mediation mission into the nation, so now we have not shut any door.”

The defence chiefs met to fine-tune particulars of the potential army operation to revive Bazoum if ongoing negotiations with the coup leaders fail.

“Let nobody be doubtful that if every little thing else fails, the valiant forces of West Africa, each the army and the civilian elements, are able to reply to the decision of obligation,” Musah mentioned.

Navy officers deposed Bazoum on July 26 and have defied calls from the United Nations, ECOWAS and others to reinstate him.

Most of ECOWAS’s 15 member states are ready to contribute to the joint power, besides Cape Verde and people additionally underneath army rule – Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea – a bloc official mentioned on Thursday.

Bazoum, whose 2021 election was a landmark in Niger’s troubled historical past, has been held along with his household on the president’s official residence because the coup, and worldwide concern is rising over his situations in detention.

ECOWAS has a poor monitor document in stemming the area’s rampant coups. Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali have every had two inside three years.

Niger’s coup was seen by the worldwide neighborhood and ECOWAS as one too many. Along with threatening a army invasion, the bloc has imposed extreme financial and journey sanctions.

However as time drags on with no army motion and a standstill in negotiations, Niger’s army leaders have gotten entrenched in energy, leaving ECOWAS with few selections.

Any use of power would additional destabilise West Africa’s impoverished Sahel area, which is already engaged in a decade-old battle with armed teams.

Niger additionally has a strategic significance past West Africa due to its uranium and oil reserves and function as a hub for overseas troops concerned within the combat towards the armed teams linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).