ECOWAS orders standby force against Niger coup leaders

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger Republic.

The President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, made the declaration while reading the resolution of ECOWAS on the Niger coup at the ECOWAS Extraordinary meeting in Abuja on Thursday, August 10, 2023.

The resolution partly read: “Direct the President of the Commission to monitor the implementation of the sanctions.

“Direct the committee of the Chief of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.

“Order the deployment of the ECOWAS stand-by force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

“Underscore its continued commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.”

ECOWAS further condemned the continuous detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members, saying all efforts made to dialogue with the coup leaders have been rejected by them.

It, therefore, called for the support of the African Union (AU) and other institutions, including the United Nations on the restoration of peace and stability in the sub-region.

The Niger military, on July 26, ousted the democratically elected President Bazoum and suspended the constitution in the country of 26 million inhabitants.

After the military took over power in Niger Republic, the coup plotters, on August 7, named former Minister of Finance, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, as the country’s new Prime Minister.

Lamine Zeine was formerly the Minister of Economy and Finance for several years in the cabinet of then-president Mamadou Tandja, who was ousted in 2010, and most recently worked as an economist for the African Development Bank in Chad.

The Star