Title: The United States tries to convince ECOWAS about the situation in Niger, but encounters resistance
Introduction :
At the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States tried to persuade the countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to soften their stance towards the putschists in Niger. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken organized a meeting this Friday morning, but his efforts failed to convince ECOWAS.
A crisis exit plan debated:
From the start of the week, American diplomats initiated discussions with their West African counterparts on the situation in Niger, proposing a crisis exit plan based on a compromise with the coup plotters in Niamey. Antony Blinken hoped to bring together several West African heads of state, such as Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and Macky Sall of Senegal, to support his approach. However, in response, ECOWAS asserted that its position on the July coup in Niger was clear and would not be changed by the United States.
A coordinated rejection:
In a show of solidarity, no West African president responded to the invitation of the American Secretary of State yesterday morning. The ECOWAS heads of state were represented by their foreign ministers. Faced with this African firmness, Antony Blinken published a press release asking the Niamey junta to release President Mohamed Bazoum and allow his return to the head of the country.
The junta’s reaction:
In a video released by the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) in response to the refusal of the UN Secretary General to let Niger’s representative speak at the United Nations General Assembly, the Nigerien junta expressed his dissatisfaction. The CNSP considers that the Secretary General “went astray” by preventing Niger’s full participation in the work of the General Assembly. This reaction raises questions about the international recognition of the junta and its legitimacy to represent Niger on the international stage.
Conclusion :
Despite US efforts to convince ECOWAS to change its position on the coup plotters in Niger, African resistance has been strong. The meeting organized by Antony Blinken was unsuccessful and ECOWAS maintains its firm position. The Nigerien junta, for its part, is unhappy with the way Niger’s representative was excluded from debates at the UN, calling into question his legitimacy. The political situation in Niger remains tense and it seems that negotiations will continue to try to find a solution to this crisis.