In Niger, diplomacy is the “best course of action,” however the use of force is still an option

In Niger, diplomacy is the “best course of action,” however the use of force is still an option

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According to his spokesman on Tuesday, the president of Nigeria and head of the West African ECOWAS bloc has not ruled out military intervention in Niger but thinks diplomacy is the “best way forward” to end the problem.

For the first time since the Niger coup’s military disregarded the bloc’s Sunday ultimatum to restore the elected government of Mohamed Bazoum or risk using force, Bola Tinubu voiced his opinion.

In the meantime, negotiations between ECOWAS and the United States and the new government of Niger have stalled ahead of a crisis summit on Thursday in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu’s spokesperson, claimed that “no options have been taken off the table,” but Tinubu and other West African presidents prefer dialogue.

A day after a top US envoy made little discernible headway on a surprise visit, the US said it still held out hope for overturning the coup but was “realistic.”

“We do have hope that the situation will be reversed, but at the same time, we are making clear, including in direct conversations with junta leaders themselves, what the consequences are for failing to return to constitutional order,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

Prior to the conference, ECOWAS attempted to send a mission but were thwarted by the army who took control of Niamey on July 26.

The coup leaders claimed in a letter that the delegation’s safety would be in jeopardy due to public “anger” brought on by ECOWAS sanctions.

The way to dialogue

After rebel soldiers overthrew Bazoum, ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) imposed trade and financial sanctions on Niger.

The coup leaders disregarded the bloc’s warning after giving Niger a seven-day deadline to restore Bazoum or risk using force.

Military intervention was not immediately anticipated, according to a source close to ECOWAS, and the way to discussion appeared to be open.

Prior to the crisis conference scheduled to take place in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Thursday, the bloc attempted to send a delegation to Niamey on Tuesday.

However, according to the letter from the coup leaders, which was sent on Monday, “The postponement of the announced mission to Niamey is necessary, as is the reworking of certain aspects of the (delegation’s) schedule.”

The agenda “includes meetings with certain personalities which cannot take place for obvious reasons of security given the atmosphere of the threat of aggression against Niger,” it said.

US Representative

Since 2020, ECOWAS has experienced a string of coups that have affected four of its fifteen members.

The Islamist insurgency, which has cost thousands of lives, driven at least two million people from their homes, and inflicted severe blows to some of the world’s poorest economies, has been the driving force behind the takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and now Niger.

Veteran US envoy Victoria Nuland met with the military leaders of the nation on Monday for more than two hours, but she left with nothing.

“Extremely frank and at times quite difficult,” she said of her chats.

She claimed to have given the coup leaders “a number of options” to end the crisis and mend ties with the United States, which has withheld aid like other Western countries.

Before leaving, she told reporters, “I would not say that we were in any way taken up on that offer.”

General Abdourahamane Tiani, the new strongman of Niger, was not present for the meeting, thus Nuland was unable to see Bazoum, who has been imprisoned since July 26.

Warnings

In a show of support for Niger, the juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso said that any military action would be viewed as a “declaration of war” against them.

His backing played a significant role in France’s choice to withdraw from Mali and Burkina Faso and refocus its Sahel anti-jihadist campaign on Niger last year.

The United States has 1,000 personnel in Niger, along with 1,500 troops from France, the majority of whom are stationed at two significant air bases.

By enlisting Wagner mercenaries from Russia, Nuland claimed she warned Niger not to follow Mali.

“The people who have taken this action here understand very well the risks to their sovereignty when Wagner is invited in,” she remarked.