The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has decided to resume talks with the Niger Republic’s military junta.
The resolution was included in a communique read by Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, after the 64th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Sunday in Abuja.
The meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, agreed to form a committee of heads of state to work with the Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, Niger Republic‘s military junta, on the need for a short transition roadmap and the establishment of monitoring mechanisms.
The ECOWAS also promised a gradual relaxation of the country’s sanctions if the military junta cooperates with the outcome of the negotiations, and also release detained President Mohammed Bazoum.
The communique reads:
“The Authority deeply deplores the continued detention of President Mohammed Bazoum, his family and associates by the CMSP regime”.
“The Authority further deplores the lack of commitment on the part of the CMSP to restore constitutional order. Consequently, the Authority calls on the CMSP to release President Mohammed Bazoum, his family, and associates immediately and without precondition.
“The Authority decides to set up a committee of Heads of State made up of the President and Head of State of the Republic of Togo, the President and the Head of State of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the President and Head of State of the Republic of Benin, to engage with the CMSP and other stakeholders to agree on a short transition roadmap, establishing transition organs as well as facilitating the setting up of a transition monitoring and evaluation mechanism towards this speedy restoration of constitutional order.
“Based on the outcomes of the engagement by the committee of Heads of state with the CMSP, the Authority will progressively ease the sanctions imposed on Niger.
“In the event of failure by the CMSP to comply with the outcomes of the engagement with the committee, ECOWAS shall maintain all sanctions, including the use of force, and shall request the African Union and all other partners to enforce the targeted sanctions on members of the CMSP and their associates.”
The heads of state also agreed to conduct an urgent review of efforts to activate a standby force for counterterrorism operations in terrorist-infested areas.
This is not the first time that ECOWAS has threatened to use force in Niger Republic.
Days after the coup in the Niger Republic, ECOWAS issued a one-week ultimatum to the junta to hand over power to the democratically elected government or face an invasion.
The coup plotters, however, ignored the warning and have remained in power since.