Four days after the July 26 coup in Niger, the situation in the country remains tense and worrying. The President of Nigeria, as incumbent chairman of ECOWAS, called an extraordinary summit to discuss the crisis. African heads of state have issued an ultimatum to the putschists, calling on them to restore constitutional order under pain of military intervention by ECOWAS.
Over the past week, numerous diplomatic negotiations have taken place in an attempt to find a solution to the Niger crisis. Chad’s transitional president traveled to Niamey, but was unable to meet the junta leader or the elected president. A delegation from ECOWAS also visited the Nigerien capital, but without success. During this time, the chiefs of staff of the member countries of the organization met in Abuja to prepare a possible military intervention.
Several ECOWAS countries, such as Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal, have declared their readiness to send troops to Niger to restore constitutional order. However, the military juntas of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, in solidarity with the coup in Niger, have warned that they will consider any military intervention as a declaration of war.
Outside ECOWAS, Chad and Algeria refused to intervene militarily and opted for a diplomatic approach. The Algerian president even described a military intervention in Niger as a direct threat to his country. In response, the Nigerien putschists promised an immediate response to any aggression.
The situation in Niger therefore remains tense, with the possibility of an ECOWAS military intervention still pending. Meanwhile, the people of Niger are suffering the consequences of the coup, with rising food prices and shortages. International sanctions are also beginning to be felt in the country.
It is essential to closely follow the evolution of the situation in Niger and to continue to support the population in this difficult period