2023-08-23 14:00:04
The military coup that took place in Niger on July 26, 2023 continues to mobilize continental political authorities. In retaliation, the African Union suspended the country while remaining reserved on the military intervention envisaged by ECOWAS.
Meeting on August 14, the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) decided “to immediately suspend the participation of the Republic of Niger from all activities of the AU and its organs and institutions until the effective restoration of constitutional order in the country”according to a statement released on August 22, 2023.
Priority to the diplomatic solution
Theater of a coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum a month ago, Niger is already under ECOWAS and UEMOA sanctions. The AU Peace and Security Council has also insisted on the need to apply the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS with a view to restoring constitutional order. In its communiqué, the PSC called on Member States to “fully implement the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS”.
While recalling its condemnation of the coup, the CPS insists on a diplomatic solution towards the return to constitutional order. Thus, the CPS says it supports the “ECOWAS efforts in its sustained commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through diplomatic means”. To do this, he “calls on the military junta in Niger to cooperate with the eand the AU with a view to a peaceful and rapid restoration of constitutional order”.
The AU takes note of the military option
While ECOWAS Member States are brandishing the threat of a military intervention to restore constitutional order in Niger, the CPS was reserved on this option. In its statement, the body says only “pmake note” of the ECOWAS decision to deploy an intervention force in Niger. In this regard, he requested the AU Commission “an assessment of the economic, social and security implications” of such deployment.
Within ECOWAS, even if we continue to explore the diplomatic solution to the situation in Niger, we are also preparing for military intervention. On August 18, after a meeting of West African chiefs of staff in Accra, the commissioner for political affairs, peace and security of the sub-regional organization, Abdel-Fatau Musah, affirmed that the date of the intervention was set just as “the strategic objectives, the necessary equipment and the commitment of the Member States”.
Finally, with regard to a military intervention, the African Union says it rejects “firmly any external interference by any actor or country outside the continent in the affairs of peace and security in Africa, including the commitments of private military companies on the continent, in accordance with the 1977 OAU Convention for the elimination of mercenaries in Africa”.
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