The delegations from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) departed Niger without meeting the leader of the junta responsible for the recent coup.
This development was confirmed by a member of the delegation.
Despite arriving in the capital city, Niamey, as planned, the delegation did not spend the night as scheduled, nor did they meet with coup leader Abdourahamane Tiani or the deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.
ECOWAS Demands Unmet:
Led by former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar, the ECOWAS delegation was initially intended to meet with Abdourahamane Tiani to present the demands of the regional organization.
The Nigerian presidency had made preparations for this meeting.
President Bola Tinubu, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, had sent the delegation on this critical mission.
Tinubu’s Call for Engagement:
Before the delegation’s departure, President Tinubu had urged them to engage with all relevant stakeholders in Niger actively.
The objective was to reach a conclusive and amicable resolution to the ongoing situation in the country.
ECOWAS had expressed concerns and demands that needed to be addressed by the junta.
Delegation’s Purpose in Niger:
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), speaking about the mission in Niger, stated that the delegation’s primary purpose was to meet with the coup leaders and present ECOWAS’s demands on behalf of the regional leadership.
However, the expected meeting with the Junta leader did not take place, raising questions about the communication between the parties involved.
Coupists’ Warning:
In a late-night statement read on national television, one of the coup leaders issued a warning against any aggression or attempted aggression towards the State of Niger.
They threatened an immediate and unannounced response from the Niger Defence and Security Forces against any member of the ECOWAS bloc that attempts to intervene in the country’s affairs.
Conclusion:
The ECOWAS delegations’ departure from Niger without meeting the coup leader highlights the challenges in addressing the recent coup and its aftermath.
The regional organization had specific demands and sought a resolution through dialogue, but the meeting did not occur as planned.
The situation remains tense, as evidenced by the warning issued by the coupists against external interference.
It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and if further attempts at dialogue will take place to resolve the crisis in Niger.
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