ABUJA, Nigeria (Reuters) – A delegation from West Africa’s main regional bloc ECOWAS flew to Niger’s capital Niamey on Saturday to hold talks with the junta, an ECOWAS source told Reuters, as the bloc pursues diplomatic ways to overturn the July 26 coup.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is pushing for a peaceful resolution to the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum. However, on Friday, defence chiefs emphasized that they were ready to intervene militarily if coup leaders continue to defy international pressure to stand down.
The delegation, led by ECOWAS President Omar Touray, was met at Niamey airport by the junta-appointed prime minister. The delegation was due to hold talks with the self-declared authorities, according to an anonymous ECOWAS source.
There was no immediate comment from the junta regarding the talks with the ECOWAS delegation.
ECOWAS has taken a harder stance on the Niger coup, which marks the seventh coup in the wider region in the past three years. The credibility of the bloc is at stake because it had previously stated that it would not tolerate any further overthrows.
Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Toby Chopra
Credit: The Star : News Feed
