ECOWAS Defense chiefs will meet in Ghana today to discuss deploying a standby force in Niger to restore constitutional status.
The heads of state of the subregional bloc ordered last Thursday the activation and deployment of a reserve force in Niger if the dialogue with the coup leaders fails. According to a statement by the ECOWAS Commission, the ECOWAS Committee of Defense Chiefs of Staff (CCDC) has started the activation of the ECOWAS Reserve Force for the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
Defense chiefs will meet in Accra, Ghana for two days (Thursday and Friday) to finalize plans for the Reserve Force deployment.
Presidential guards led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani arrested Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and dissolved the constitution.
In response to the coup, ECOWAS convened an emergency meeting in which it imposed economic sanctions on Niger, including a seven-day ultimatum on the coup leaders to reinstate the ousted president.
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The coup leaders defied ECOWAS and formed a new government on the eve of the second emergency meeting called by the bloc.
Last Saturday, a Nigerian intervention team of Islamic scholars met with the junta leaders to discuss resolutions after which the junta leader agreed to talk with ECOWAS. Prior to that, two attempts by ECOWAS to meet with the junta leader had failed.
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