The perpetrators of the coup in Niger do not enjoy international condemnation. The soldiers who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum denounced Sunday evening “the illegal, inhuman and humiliating sanctions” of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The people of Niger are “severely tried by the illegal, inhuman and humiliating sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, which go so far as to deprive the country of pharmaceutical products, foodstuffs” and “the supply of electric current”, said one of the members of the regime, Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane, in a press release read on national television.
The difficult path of diplomacy
These statements come after the military regime welcomed a delegation of Nigerian Muslim religious leaders on Saturday, led with the agreement of Nigerian President Tinubu, also at the head of ECOWAS, to “ease the tensions created by the prospect of ‘a military intervention’ of the organization.
According to a statement from the Nigerian Religious Mediation, the head of the military regime, General Abdourahamane Tiani, had “said that his door was open to explore the path of diplomacy and peace in order to resolve” the crisis.
An intervention still on the table
Last Thursday, during a new summit, the leaders of ECOWAS had reaffirmed that they favored the diplomatic channel to restore President Bazoum to his functions, while ordering the mobilization and deployment of the ECOWAS “standby force”.
The timetable and terms of a possible West African military intervention have not been disclosed. But Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, whose country will contribute to this force, said Thursday that it should be able to intervene “as soon as possible”. One of Mohamed Bazoum’s relatives had assured that the military regime had brandished “the threat” to attack him if an armed intervention took place.