West African leaders will make negotiations with the military leaders who have seized control in Niger the “bedrock” of its attempts to defuse the crisis, stepping back from a threat of military intervention to restore the elected government. “It is crucial that we prioritise diplomatic  negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach,” said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, chairing an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja.

After the coup on July 26, the bloc gave the military leaders a deadline of last Sunday to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, who is being held at the presidential palace in Niamey, or face the potential use of force. So far the coup leaders have remained defiant, and the ultimatum passed without action. “Regrettably, the seven-day ultimatum we issued during the first summit has not yielded the desired outcome,” Tinubu acknowledged. “We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum,” he said. “It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.”

The threat of a military intervention has proved highly divisive among ECOWAS members and other African nations wary of sparking a conflict with an unpredictable outcome.

AFP