France and Ecowas armoured vehicle land in Nigerian Port
Tensions continue to escalate between Niger’s new military regime and the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, following the decision made by the bloc after its emergency meeting to discuss the way forward after the deadline to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum expired.
According to the bloc, the outcome of the meeting held on August 10, 2023, was the deployment of troops to restore Niger’s flailing democracy. And so following the meeting, the ECOWAS bloc ordered its Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff to immediately activate its standby force with all its elements. However, prior to the meeting Niger’s military junta threatened to kill Bazoum if neighboring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule. So it’s unclear when or where the ECOWAS force would deploy because they didn’t specify and how reports of the threats against Bazoum would affect a decision by the 15-member bloc to intervene. However, some conflict experts have said that the force would likely comprise some 5,000 troops led by Nigeria and could be ready within weeks.
Several member-countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including Ivory Coast, Republic of Benin, Senegal and Nigeria, have committed troops to the regional bloc’s planned military intervention. And while Benin, Senegal and Nigeria have committed to the intervention in principles without providing details of its deployment, the president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, revealed that his country would commit a battalion of 850 to 1,100 men to ECOWAS’ move to restore democratic rule to Niger following the lack of success in its diplomatic efforts.
Speaking on state television, President Ouattara said “Ivory Coast will provide a battalion and has made all the financial arrangements … We are determined to install Bazoum in his position. Our objective is peace and stability in the sub-region.
Following the emergency meeting, France through its foreign minister said it supported “all conclusions adopted by the bloc although he did not state any clear plan that would be given to the regional bloc if it eventually deploy military. The U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has also said his country appreciated “the determination of ECOWAS to explore all options for the peaceful resolution of the crisis” and would hold the junta accountable for the safety and security of President Bazoum. However, he did not specify whether the U.S. supported the deployment of troops.
Meanwhile in a press statement released by the African Union, the president of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed his strong support for ECOWAS decisions on anti-constitutional change in Niger. The statement noted that Mahamat condemned the detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family, describing it as “illegal kidnapping” and “unacceptable.” He also challenged the military authorities on the urgency of stopping the escalation with the regional organisation, and called for the immediate release of Mr Bazoum and all members of his family and government.
The African Union also called on the international community to rally to save the moral and physical integrity of Bazoum and end what it called the “worryingly poor conditions” of his detention.
Consequently, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, has said that the Niger junta will be punished if any harm befalls Bazoum. Speaking on Channels Televisin, Musah said Bazoum and his son were being held by the military rulers who have denied them access to food and medicine. He stated that they were living under appalling condition, and this was the reason for the regional bloc’s decision to prepare a standby force. Musah further said that the West African region bloc could not fold its arms and depend on the goodwill of the coupists after interrupting democratic order.
Also, speaking on the condition in which the deposed President Mohammed Bazoom is being held, Human Rights Watch said they spoke to Bazoum, who said that his 20-year-old son was sick with a serious heart condition and has been refused access to a doctor. The president also told them thathe hasn’t had electricity for nearly 10 days and isn’t allowed to see family, friends or bring supplies into the house. So, it’s unclear whether the threat on Bazoum’s life would change ECOWAS’ decision to intervene military but some analyst say might give them pause, or push the parties closer to dialogue, but clearly the situation has entered uncharted territory.
While the USA, France and Germany has declared support for efforts by ECOWAS to restore Niger’s deposed president, Russia has warned that military action against coup leaders in Niger would lead to a “protracted confrontation.” In a statement issued on Friday, Russia’s foreign ministry warned other West African countries not to send troops into Niger stating that “We believe that a military solution to the crisis in Niger could lead to a protracted confrontation in that African country, and to a sharp destabilisation of the situation in the Sahara-Sahel region as a whole.”
Niger’s junta has yet to react to the prospect of a forceful intervention by ECOWAS. But it has rebuffed repeated calls for dialogue from the international community and named a new government hours before the summit.
Following the meeting held on Thursday, 10th of August, members of the regional bloc, ECOWAS, were due to meet in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Saturday 12th of August to discuss how to tackle the Niger crisis after they approved the deployment of a stand-by force to restore constitutional order. However, as concerns over the health of detained President Mohammed Bazoum increase the meeting was indefinitely suspended for “technical reasons”. The meeting meeting was initially set to inform the organisation’s leaders about “the best options” for activating and deploying a military force.
According to Niger’s Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou, the military option seriously envisaged by ECOWAS is not a war against Niger and its people but a police operation against hostage-takers and their accomplices,”
Meanwhile, more dissenting voices have continued to trail the planned military intervention in Niger by ECOWAS, even as pressure groups in the country has resolved to march on military camp of France in Niamey, the country’s capital city, following up on several protest marches to the French Embassy since the military seized power. The groups have stated that they would continue to protest in front of the camp from Friday afternoon and would not leave until France evacuates its military from the country.
The people of Niger has also continued to support the military intervention. Hundreds of people marched toward the French military base in Niamey on Friday waving Russian flags and screaming “Down with France and Down with ECOWAS” Many were young, including children, all chanting that the French should go. One protester, protester Salamatou Hima, said that “I am here to request the departure of the French forces, and We are free and we have the right to demand what is beneficial for our country.” During the protest most Nigeriens said that ECOWAS isn’t in touch with the reality on the ground and shouldn’t intervene.
Achirou Harouna Albassi, a Nigerien resident clearly said that “It is our business, not theirs. They don’t even know the reason why the coup happened in Niger,” He further added that “Bazoum was not abiding by the will of the people”. During the rally, another protester Ali Hassane vowed to defend his country declaring that “ If the ECOWAS force invades, “it’s us civilians who are going to fight,”
Similarly, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to refrain from invading the Republic of Niger to restore democratic government. In a short video on the social media, the senator, while responding to a question on the Niger crisis, expressed his reservations for Nigeria to join ECOWAS military intervention. He added that if the United States of America and France wanted war, they should use their own troops stationed in Niger. According to him, the US alone has almost 4,000 troops in Niger; hence it shouldn’t resort to Nigeria to fight its proxy war by supplying arms and funds to Nigeria, insisting that it’s dangerous for Nigeria to fight in its backyard.
He further added that instead of war, plans should be made for a transition to civilian rule in a peaceful and diplomatic way.
While the region oscillates between mediation and preparing for war, Nigeriens are suffering the impact of harsh economic and travel sanctions imposed by ECOWAS. According to Louise Aubin, the U.N. resident coordinator in Niger, prior tothe coup, more than 4 million Nigeriens were reliant on humanitarian assistance and the situation could become more dire following the crisis. She further stated that “The situation is alarming and that there will be an exponential rise with more people needing more humanitarian assistance,” She also added that the closure of land and air borders makes it hard to bring aid into the country and it’s unclear how long the current stock will last.
Aid groups are also battling restrictions on multiple fronts as ECOWAS sanctions have banned the movement of goods between Niger and member countries, making it hard to bring in materials. The World Food Program has some 30 trucks stuck at the Benin border unable to cross. Humanitarians are also trying to navigate restrictions within the country as the junta has closed the airspace, making it hard to get clearance to fly the humanitarian planes that transport goods and personnel to hard-hit areas. Flights are cleared on a case-by-case basis and there’s irregular access to fuel, which disrupts aid operations..
The U.N. has however, the asked ECOWAS to make exceptions to the sanctions and is speaking to Niger’s foreign ministry about doing the same within the country.