Niger Coup: ECOWAS leaders gather as Tinubu declares Summit open

High-level representatives hailing from the West African region have convened in Abuja for an emergency summit aimed at addressing the recent coup in Niger, subsequent to the military junta’s defiance of an ultimatum urging the restoration of elected President Bazoum. The pivotal meeting took place in Abuja, Nigeria’s political capital, and was attended by several West African leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, who holds the role of Chairman within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Notable figures from the United Nations and African Union were also present at the event. In his capacity as the convener, President Tinubu officially initiated the extraordinary gathering and emphasized the profound ramifications of the coup in Niger on the stability of democratically established governments within the sub-region. He articulated the imperative of prioritizing diplomatic negotiations and open dialogue with the military junta in Niger to ameliorate the crisis. President Tinubu expressed, “Reaffirming our unwavering commitment to democracy, human rights, and the welfare of the Nigerien people, it is of utmost importance that we place diplomatic negotiations and dialogue at the forefront of our strategy. “We must engage all stakeholders, including the leaders of the coup, in sincere discussions aimed at persuading them to relinquish authority and reinstate President Bazoum. Our responsibility is to exhaust all possible avenues of engagement in order to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.” The President further expounded, “In a more specific context, as leaders representing our respective nations, we must acknowledge that the political turmoil in Niger not only jeopardizes the nation’s stability but also casts extensive reverberations across the entire West African region. “Through unwavering adherence to the principles of democracy, effective governance, and the rule of law, we can reestablish tranquility, stability, and prosperity within the Republic of Niger, thereby cultivating an environment conducive to comprehensive growth and development for all.” “More so, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach. “We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum. It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger. “More specifically, as leaders of our respective nations, we must recognize that the political crisis in Niger not only poses a threat to the stability of the nation but also has far-reaching implications for the entire West African region. “By remaining steadfast in our adherence to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, we can restore peace, stability, and prosperity in the Republic of Niger, thereby fostering an environment conducive to growth and development for all.” Following President Tinubu’s address, the summit transitioned into a confidential deliberation phase. The meeting, convened two weeks subsequent to the coup that ousted Mohamed Bazoum, who ascended to power in 2021, signifies ECOWAS’s proactive pursuit of a diplomatic resolution while keeping the prospect of employing force as a last resort. Critical determinations are anticipated from the gathering held in Abuja, as ECOWAS endeavors to curtail the succession of coups among its member states that has been unfolding since 2020. The coalition granted the military forces, which assumed control on July 26, a grace period until the prior Sunday to reinstate President Bazoum, aged 63, under the threat of potential military intervention. In response to the crisis, Nigeria, among other measures including border closures, has suspended electricity supply to Niger as part of a series of economic sanctions. Nonetheless, the leaders of the coup remained steadfast in their stance, and the deadline elapsed without any observed action. Tinubu’s Full Speech at the Summit Your Excellency, the President of the ECOWAS Commission; Your Excellency, President of the African Union Commission; Your Excellency, President of the UEMOA Commission; The Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in West Africa and the Sahel; and Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen. 1. Let me commence by welcoming you all to the Second (2nd) Extraordinary Summit on the Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger, within the space of ten days. Your presence here, despite the short notice, demonstrates the unwavering dedication of our esteemed community to finding a lasting solution to the political situation in the Republic of Niger. 2. Today, we gather with a profound sense of urgency and firm determination, building upon the commitments made during our first Extraordinary Summit, on the grave political crisis befalling our sister nation. During that initial meeting, we voiced our solidarity with the people of Niger and their democratically elected President, H.E Mohamed Bazoum, by condemning the military take over and the unjust detention of their democratically elected President. Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, 3. As you may recall, we called on the junta to rescind its decision of toppling a legitimate government. We proceeded to impose sanctions with the hope that this resolute measure would serve as a catalyst for the restoration of the constitutional order in Niger. Regrettably, the seven-day ultimatum we issued during the first Summit has not yielded the desired outcome. We have also made diligent efforts through the deployment of various ECOWAS mediation teams, to engage the military junta for a peaceful resolution of the political situation. One of the facilitators, former Head of State of Nigeria, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, would update us on the outcome of his mission to Niamey. 4. Similarly, as part of a coherent diplomatic initiatives, Special Envoys were dispatched to non-ECOWAS nations, particularly Libya and Algeria. During these engagements, the Envoy designated for Libya had the privilege of an audience with the President of Libya. This discourse resulted in an unequivocal expression of support for the resolutions adopted by ECOWAS aimed at restoring constitutional governance in Niger. In Algeria, the Envoy was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the President of the country.

Niger Coup: ECOWAS calls for immediate release, reinstatement of President Bazoum

Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on Sunday in Abuja called for the immediate release and reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum as the legitimate Head of State and Government of the Republic of Niger. This is contained in a communique at the end of the Extraordinary Summit on Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger read by the President, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray. The leaders also rejected any form of purported resignation by Bazoum and declared him as the only recognised and elected President by ECOWAS, the African Union and the international community. ‘‘In this regard, only official acts of President Bazoum or his duly-mandated officials will be recognized by ECOWAS,’’ they said. The leaders expressed strong condemnation of the attempted overthrow of constitutional order in Niger, and the illegal detention of President Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government. They demanded full restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger and considered the illegal detention of Bazoum as a hostage situation, holding the coupists solely responsible for his safety and that of his family and government. In the event the ECOWAS’ demands are not met within one week, the leaders said they would take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. “Such measures may include the use of force for this effect, the Chiefs of Defence staff of ECOWAS is to meet immediately,’’ the leaders said. ECOWAS leaders also condemned the pronouncement of support by foreign governments and foreign private military contractors, while expressing appreciation to various governments and partners for their stance and solidarity. The Summit hosted by President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, also agreed to appoint and dispatch a Special Representative to deliver the demands of the authority. In response to the coup attempt, the Summit announced immediate sanctions on Niger including the closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger. They also agree on establishing a no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger, and suspending all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger. Furthermore, assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Bank, Niger state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks will be frozen. Niger will also be suspended from all financial assistance and transactions with financial institutions within ECOWAS. Additionally, travel bans and assets freezes were imposed on the military officials  involved in the coup attempt, as well as their family members and civilians who accept to participate in any institution or government established by these military officials. In his closing remark, Tinubu thanked fellow leaders, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, the Special Representative of the Secretary -General and Head of the United Nations Office in West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Simaõ, for their active engagement and invaluable contributions to the discussions. ‘‘As we come close to this Extraordinary Summit on the socio- political situation in the Republic of Niger, I send my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your active engagement in our open and closed door meeting. ‘‘Your invaluable contributions to our discussions have got us this far and hopefully, we will achieve our objective. ‘‘The essence of African unity and solidarity is hereby reaffirmed. Our unwavering commitment to democracy, peace and prosperity is hereby resolved. ‘‘Throughout our deliberations, we have recognized that the challenges faced by Niger are inter connected with broader issues affecting our region. ‘‘As African leaders, it is our shared responsibility to foster stability and progress, placing the wellbeing of our people at the forefront of our endeavours, and working together towards their prosperity and happiness must always consistently be our goals. ‘‘We will stand with our people in freedom and our commitment to the rule of law and not the barrel of gun. Africa has come of age. We reject coup and interruption to constitutional order,’’ he said. Before the Summit, the President also held bilateral meetings with President Umaro Embalo of Guinea Bissau, President Mahmat Itno of Chad, and Michael Health, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of African Affairs. Presidents Patrice Talon of Benin Republic,  Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Embalo of Guinea Bissau, Macky Sall of Senegal, Faure Gnassingbé of Togo attended the Summit while the Presidents of Cape Verde, Liberia, Niger and  Sierra Leone were represented.