The committee of chiefs of defence staff of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says interventions in the Niger
Republic must encompass political, security and diplomatic dimensions.
The defence chiefs spoke on Friday at the end of their
three-day extraordinary meeting in Abuja in reaction to concerns amid the
deployment of force to deal with the political instability in the West African
country.
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu, chairperson of ECOWAS, had
written to the national assembly, seeking approval for military intervention in
Niger.
The president said it was part of the bloc’s conclusions at the meeting held on Sunday in Abuja.
Tinubu’s move came amid calls from various countries,
organisations, and concerned individuals against the use of force to intervene
in another country’s political affairs.
ECOWAS had given the military junta in Niger a week from
Sunday to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or face harder sanctions.
Speaking on the issue, Christopher Musa, president of the
ECOWAS defence chiefs, commended the bloc for standing firm for democracy,
adding that the militaries of the member countries were firmly in support of
their stand.
Musa, who is Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, said the
committee collectively recognised the gravity of the situation in Niger and the
urgent need for a well-coordinated response.
“We have also deliberated on the broader implication for
democracy, peace and stability in West Africa and are pleased to note that our
discussions have yielded valuable insights and actionable recommendations,”
Musa said.
“We have acknowledged the need for a comprehensive approach
that encompasses political, security and diplomatic dimensions.
“It is imperative that we translate our deliberations into
concrete actions that effectively address the crisis and prevent a recurrence
in the future.
“Democracy is what we
stand for and democracy is what we will sustain.”
Musa said the coup in Niger represented blatant disregard
for the fundamental principles that underpin regional integration and
stability, and condemned the actions of his Nigerien counterparts.
According to the general, the defence chiefs had carefully
analysed the situation and drawn up recommendations that could drive progress.
“We must intensify our diplomatic efforts to engage with all
relevant stakeholders,” Musa said.
“Dialogue and
negotiations should be at the forefront of our approach to resolving the crisis
in the Republic of Niger.
“We must engage the traditional authorities, civil society
organisations and all the key actors to foster an inclusive and peaceful
transition process.
The defence chiefs urged member states to hasten the
implementation of the recommendations and translate them into tangible actions
for quick solutions to the situation in Niger.
‘GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
AND LET DEMOCRACY SUCCEED’
Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS commissioner for political
affairs, peace and security, said all elements that would go into any intervention
had been worked out and were being refined, including the timing, resources
needed and how, where and when to deploy such force.
However, Musah said the use of force was its last resort,
adding that the bloc was determined to explore every approach that would
restore peace and stability to the region.
He asked the military junta in Niger to do the same.
“We are giving diplomacy every chance to succeed and there
have been multiple approaches to the military junta in Niger,” the ECOWAS
commissioner said.
“The results of whatever has been achieved here will be
presented very soon to the heads of the central government who will have the
last say as to what we are going to do about the situation in the Republic of
Niger, provided that all diplomatic overtures do not yield result.
“So I want to, through this medium also appeal to the
military in Niger to give peace a chance, and then think about their
populations and do the right thing by immediately restoring constitutional
order in their country.
“That is our message to them and if they don’t, then we will
make them hand over to civilian authorities and that is the determination of
ECOWAS and we want to send that message clearly across to all of them.”
Countries represented at the meeting included Togo, Sierra
Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire,
Cape Verde and Benin, while Niger, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso were absent.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com