Meeting in Niamey, Niger, an ECOWAS delegation was expected this Thursday to begin discussions with the military junta concerning the lifting of sanctions, the transition and the release of the former president, Mohamed Bazoum. However, the mission could not take place as planned, because only Robert Dussey, the head of Togolese diplomacy, visited the Nigerien capital.
The four other members of the ECOWAS delegation canceled their trip at the last minute, without a clear explanation. Former Nigerian President Abdulsalam Abubakar, Timothy Musa Kabba and Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, the Sierra Leonean and Beninese foreign ministers respectively, as well as Omar Touray, the president of the ECOWAS commission, were unable to reach Niamey due to technical problems related to their flight.
Faced with this situation, Lamine Zeine, the Nigerien Prime Minister, expressed his disappointment to the press, describing ECOWAS’ attitude as “bad faith”. He affirmed that the Nigerien authorities had given their agreement for the flight of the delegation and regretted the failure of this negotiation mission.
The ECOWAS delegation had planned to discuss with the National Council for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) the lifting of sanctions imposed on Niger, the duration of the transition and the release of former president Mohamed Bazoum.
This situation raises questions about the reasons for the withdrawal of members of the ECOWAS delegation and the consequences that this could have on future negotiations between the junta and the sub-regional organization.
It is important to highlight that this delicate situation comes days before the sixth month of the coup in Niger, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the country and the complexity of mediation efforts to achieve a peaceful transition. It remains to be seen how the parties involved will be able to resolve this dispute and move towards a return to political normality in Niger.