2023-08-21 19:26:06
The West African countries opposed to the coup d’etat in Niger rejected the idea of a maximum three-year transition launched this weekend by the soldiers who took power, a sign that a way out of the crisis diplomacy still seems distant.
“A three-year transition period is unacceptable”said Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). “We want constitutional order to be restored as soon as possible”he added in an interview with Al-Jazeera, reaffirming the inflexible position of the regional organization since the July 26 coup.
On Saturday evening, when an ECOWAS delegation was in Niamey to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, Niger’s new strongman, General Abdourahamane Tiani, announced that he was considering a transition from ” three years “ maximum, before returning power to the civilians. ECOWAS demands the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum in his functions.
If the West African organization explores the diplomatic way to achieve this objective, it always agitates the threat of the use of force. On Friday, after a meeting of his chiefs of staff in Accra, Mr. Musah said that “the day of the intervention” was fixed, as “the strategic objectives, the necessary equipment and the commitment of the Member States”.
“If an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park that some people believe”replied General Tiani.
The two parties seem to be sticking to their guns, despite the weekend mediation which enabled ECOWAS emissaries to meet with MM. Tiani and Bazoum.
Unicef is alarmed by the humanitarian situation
On Sunday, demonstrations in support of the military took place in Niamey and in Agadez, the big city in the north. Slogans hostile to ECOWAS and to Western powers, in particular France, were chanted.
“Stop the military intervention”, could also be read on signs brandished by the thousands of demonstrators gathered on the Place de la Concertation, in the capital. In Agadez, several hundred demonstrators demanded the dismantling “of all foreign military bases”in particular that of the American army in the airport of the city.
France and the United States have 1,500 and 1,100 soldiers respectively in Niger, where they are contributing to the fight against jihadist movements in this Sahelian country regularly bereaved by attacks by armed groups linked to the Islamic State organization and to Al -Qaida.
This violence did not stop after the coup: several attacks have taken place since July 26, particularly in western Niger, near Burkina Faso and Mali, confronted by the same armed groups. Last Tuesday, at least 17 Nigerien soldiers were killed in this area. It is the deadliest attack since the coup.
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Monday, Unicef is alarmed by the humanitarian situation in Nigerestimating that more than 2 million children had ” Need help “a situation aggravated by the current crisis.
According to the UN organization, these figures may increase “if food prices continue to rise and an economic downturn hits families, households and incomes”.
Since July 30, Niger has been under heavy economic sanctions imposed by ECOWAS. About 300 trucks loaded with food arrived in the Nigerien capital on Monday from neighboring Burkina.
Also read the forum: Article reserved for our Niger subscribers: “It is time to break with the practice of paternalism towards Africans and to let these countries exercise their free will”
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