Antony Blinken, United States secretary of state, has
commended President Bola Tinubu’s leadership of the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) on the Niger Republic crisis.
Blinken spoke with the president via phone on Monday,
according to a statement released by the US state department.
“The Secretary commended President Tinubu’s leadership of
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Second Extraordinary
Summit on the situation in the Republic of Niger,” the statement reads.
“He noted the importance of maintaining pressure on the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) to restore constitutional order and to see President Mohamed Bazoum and his family released.”
Spoke to Nigerian President Tinubu to commend his leadership of the Economic Community of West African States and discussed shared efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 14, 2023
ECOWAS INTERVENTION
IN NIGER
ECOWAS has led the international community in the aftermath
of the Niger coup.
A few hours after the July 26 coup, Tinubu condemned the
development, saying ECOWAS would not tolerate anti-democratic acts in the
region.
The ECOWAS chairperson also vowed that the bloc would do
everything possible to ensure that peace returns to Niger and to the West
African subregion.
In the union’s first meeting on the development, ECOWAS
reeled out a host of sanctions on Niger including the closure of all land and
air borders between ECOWAS member countries and Niger, and an ECOWAS ‘no fly
zone’ on all commercial flights to and from Niger.
Others included suspension of all commercial and financial
transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger, and a halt in the supply
of electricity to the landlocked nation.
The bloc also ordered the junta to reinstate Bazoum or risk
military intervention.
Days after the junta defied the bloc’s deadline, ECOWAS
reconvened for a second summit and ordered the deployment of standby military
troops.
Tinubu said ECOWAS remains committed to supporting Niger
achieve democratic stability.
Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari had also lauded Tinubu’s leadership in resolving the Niger crisis.
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