The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has lamented that the 7-day ultimatum issued to the Military junta of Niger Republic that toppled a democratically elected government of President Mahmood Bazoum has not yielded the desired result.
The West African Bloc, ECOWAS, In its first extraordinary meeting on the Niger crisis, held in Abuja on August 4th, issued a seven days ultimatum to the military junta to return the country to democratic rule or face consequences for its action.
ECOWAS had sent envoys to Niger hoping to douse the tension and resolve the impasse diplomatically but Regional Bloc’s efforts seems to hit the rocks as its envoys were met with Niger’s junta rebuff.
ECOWAS has since issued several sanctions on Niger, including financial sanctions on individuals connected to the military rulers as well as threatened military actions against the military junta if they failed to vacate office and reinstate the embattled President.
But in his opening remarks, ECOWAS Chairman and president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu noted that the seven days ultimatum did not get the needed result as expected.
He noted, “We have also made diligent efforts through the deployment of various ECOWAS mediation teams, to engage the military junta for a peaceful resolution of the political situation. One of the facilitators, former Head of State of Nigeria, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, would update us on the outcome of his mission to Niamey.”
Tinubu noted that today’s second extraordinary meeting will provide needed time to reassess it strategy towards restoring the democratically elected government in the West African country.
He said Today’s Summit provides a significant opportunity to meticulously review and assess the progress made since our last gathering. It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions and identify any gaps or challenges that may have hindered progress.”
“Only through this comprehensive assessment can we collectively chart a sustainable path towards lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in Niger. Moreso, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach.”
“We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum. It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.”
