Since Wednesday August 02, the chiefs of staff of ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, have been meeting in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to study the possibilities of a military intervention in Niger. A few days earlier, on Sunday July 30, at the same place,the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS have shown great firmness and decided on sanctions against the junta which overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, while threatening it with a “use of force”. But how can ECOWAS, which still does not have an armed wing, intervene militarily in Niger?
West African countries have given the Nigerien junta a week-long ultimatum for a “full return to constitutional order”, without excluding military intervention. A firmness that contrasts sharply with the decisions of the Economic Community of West African States, when the military seized power in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Mali, Burkina Faso say NO
“Any military intervention against Niger would amount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali”, moreover affirmed Monday, July 31 the door- words of the juntas currently in power in these countries. The number 2 of the Nigerien junta, General Salifou Mody, went to Bamako on Wednesday to meet with the Malian authorities.
Algeria says warns of any foreign military intervention
Algeria, which shares more than 900 km of borders with Niger, judges the military involvement envisaged by ECOWAS as an “unfortunate” option. Through the voice of its Minister of Foreign Affairs, it “warns and calls for caution and restraint in the face of foreign military intervention intentions. » “Regarding the military option, it is hardly feasible technically and militarily by the regional organization, nor by any foreign power. Because President Bazoum is surrounded by putschist soldiers, and part of the population would serve as a human shield. It would therefore be a very complicated and probably bloody operation. And most likely it will not take place, because there are other means which are economic sanctions. “, estimates for his part the former French ambassador Nicolas Normand.
The people of Niger oppose
Already, we see that part of the population of Niger is opposed to any military intervention. “And you have to listen to what they say: we have been under the terrorist yoke for ten years and no one has shown the slightest solidarity with us. Today, people come to tell us that they are going to intervene to defend democracy. They had to intervene first to defend our lives. “, specifies Seidik Abba, journalist and essayist from Niger. Also on Monday, via Nigerien national television, the putschists accused France of wanting to “intervene militarily”.
