Niger Coup: ECOWAS Okays Use Of Force
Orders immediate deployment of standby force.
The Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, Heads of State, on Wednesday, resolved to activate the use of military force to restore constitutional and democratic authority in Niger.
The resolution is contained in a communique at the end of its Abuja extra ordinary meeting following a review unfolding events after the expiration of its deadline to the junta.
The communiqué, read by ECOWAS President, Omar Touray, noted that the resolution became imperative following the failure of diplomatic attempts at resolving the impasse.
“All diplomatic efforts made by ECOWAS in resolving the crisis have been defiantly repelled by the military leadership of Niger.”
According to the communique, ECOWAS leaders directed the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.
They are also to deploy the community's standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger with immediate effect.
Nine of the 11 countries expected at the meeting were in attendance. They include the presidents of Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone.
Liberia and the Gambia were represented by their Foreign Ministers while Non-ECOWAS leaders of Mauritania and Burundi also participated in the closed-door meeting.
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