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West Africa

ECOWAS meet on coming Thursday to firm up future action on Niger

August 8, 2023

(West Africa) (4 minutes read)

ECOWAS leaders would meet on coming Thursday to discuss the crisis in Niger, with the military leaders of the country defying the ultimatum given by the Western African economic bloc

ECOWAS leaders would meet on coming Thursday to discuss the crisis in Niger, with the military leaders of the country defying the ultimatum given by the Western African economic bloc. Niger’s military rulers have defied its ultimatum to cede power or face possible military action. Against this backdrop, the 15-member ECOWAS called for a meeting of the organization to thrash out the action to be taken at Nigeria’s capital Abuja. Incidentally, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is the current president of ECOWAS.

There are reports that ECOWAS may not resort to military action at this stage. The bloc may wait and watch as to how the tension is playing out. In the meantime, Italy and Germany are making some diplomatic overtures to find a workable solution to the present impasse. So far, such backdoor diplomacy did not click. Both countries have a considerable stake in Niger, although the military junta is increasingly distancing themselves from them.

A spate of coups has taken place in the Sahel region in recent days disrupting the democratic and peace process that is taking place in the region. Both Mali and Burkina Faso were suspended from ECOWAS as military juntas usurped the democratically elected governments. The international community along with ECOWAS also prevailed upon the military junta to ensure the passing over the administration to the democratically elected government. It is also reported that a delegation sponsored by both Mali and Burkina Faso would soon visit Niger, to hold discussions with the military authorities there and to demonstrate their solidarity with the present government.

A recent report by an international news agency says that ECOWAS has decided to intervene to bring a solution to the crisis. Niger, which is located in the heart of the Sahel, has a poorly diversified economy, with agriculture accounting for 40% of its GDP. More than 10 million persons (41.8% of the population) were living in extreme poverty in 2021. Niger is grappling with an influx of refugees fleeing conflicts in Nigeria and Mali. With a poorly diversified economic structure, Niger is struggling with frequent droughts and poverty. The Sahel country has oil wealth as also gold deposits. But neither of them is optimally exploited. It is also a significant producer of uranium. Analysts maintain that despite all these rich resources, the country continues to be backward because of political instability and corruption.

Agriculture in Niger accounts for 40% of its GDP. More than 10 million persons, roughly 42 percent of the population, were living in extreme poverty in 2021, as per the World Bank data. On top of it, the country is grappling with an influx of refugees fleeing conflicts in Nigeria and Mali. As of August 31, 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had identified 294,467 refugees and almost 350,000 displaced persons in the country.

Mohamed Bazoum was elected president in elections held in December 2020 and February 2021, marking the first democratic transfer of power in the country’s history, and in July 2023 he was dethroned by the military junta.

Niger is facing a security crisis in the areas bordering Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Mali, where armed groups carry out repeated attacks against the security forces and civilians. A state of emergency was declared in the Diffa, Tahoua, and Tillaberi regions.