The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced the activation of its standby force, emphasizing its unwavering commitment to restore constitutional order through peaceful means. The announcement came at the conclusion of an extraordinary summit held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The regional bloc expressed vehement condemnation of the coup in Niger and reiterated its adherence to the measures and principles laid out during the urgent ECOWAS summit held on July 30. The ECOWAS leaders have directed the committee of the Chiefs of Defense Staff to immediately activate the standby force, ensuring its readiness for deployment to reestablish constitutional governance in Niger.
Underlining its determination, the ECOWAS also declared its intent to enforce all sanction measures, including border closures and strict travel bans, against individuals or groups obstructing peaceful efforts to reinstate constitutional order in Niger. The regional body maintained that all avenues for peaceful crisis resolution remain open and cautioned member states against any actions that hinder the process.
Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, explained during a press briefing in Abuja that the primary goal of the regional standby force is to restore stability and order in Niger while facilitating the return to constitutional governance.
The military junta’s refusal to relinquish power to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum triggered this response from the West African bloc. The coup, which marked the third instance of its kind in West Africa within three years, garnered condemnation from various African nations, considering the unconstitutional transfer of power as a threat to regional stability and development. Concerns over potential extremist activities arising from instability in the Sahel region have also been raised by the international community.
The ECOWAS consists of fifteen member states, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
