The chiefs of staff of the West African armies are meeting for the second day Friday in Ghana, with a view to a possible armed intervention in Niger after the coup, while the fate reserved for ousted President Mohamed Bazoum worried.
Nothing had filtered at the beginning of the afternoon of the possible conclusions of the military officials of the countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which provide for a closing ceremony around 4:00 p.m. GMT, according to the meeting program.
If they are discussing the modalities of a possible armed operation, to restore to power elected President Mohamed Bazoum dismissed since July 26 by the new military regime in Niamey, ECOWAS still seems to favor the path of dialogue.
Calls for a peaceful settlement of this crisis have also multiplied in recent days, especially from the United States.
“The objective of our meeting is not simply to react to events but to proactively chart a path that leads to peace and supports stability,” said Thursday, at the opening of the meeting in Accra, the General Christopher Gwabin Musa, Chief of Staff of Nigeria.
The meeting must “refine” the details in case ECOWAS “resorts to the ultimate means of force”, explained for his part Abdel-Fatau Musah, commissioner for political affairs, peace and security.
“The military junta in Niger is playing cat and mouse with ECOWAS,” he added, deploring that the Nigerien generals had “flouted their own constitution and the protocols” of the West African organization.
The latter remain inflexible for the time being and believe that an armed intervention against their country would be an “illegal and senseless aggression”.
And they keep the deposed president sequestered, whom they intend to prosecute for “high treason”.
“President Bazoum’s conditions of detention are deteriorating. Any further deterioration in his state of health will have serious consequences,” warned Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who currently chairs ECOWAS, during a meeting Thursday with the President of the European Council Charles Michel, according to comments reported Friday by an EU official.
For his part, Charles Michel “reiterated the full support and support of the EU for the decisions of ECOWAS, as well as the firm condemnation of the unacceptable coup in Niger”, according to the EU official.
“The EU will not recognize the authorities resulting from the putsch. President Bazoum, democratically elected, remains the legitimate head of state of Niger”, he insisted.
From Geneva, the intention to prosecute Mr. Bazoum for “high treason” was strongly denounced by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.
“This decision is not only motivated by political considerations against a democratically elected president, but it has no legal basis since the normal functioning of democratic institutions has been hindered,” he said. declared.
In his statement, Mr. Türk stressed that the election of President Bazoum in 2021 constituted “the first democratic transition in the country’s history, marked by coups d’etat”.
Calling on the generals to release him and “immediately restore constitutional order”, the UN human rights chief told them that they “could not arrogate to themselves the right to challenge – on a head – the will of the people”.
Also from Geneva, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to relieve the transit centers set up in Niger, where thousands of migrants are stuck.
“Recent border and airspace closures have aggravated the difficulties faced by stranded migrants and hampered IOM’s assisted voluntary return operations,” she said.
Due to its geographical position, Niger is one of the main transit countries in the region for migrants.
At least 28 civilians were also killed earlier this week in violence in several villages in southwestern Niger, near Mali, according to a local official source, a toll which could be heavier according to a security source. The origin of this violence was not indicated.
08/18/2023 17:07:57 – Accra (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
