U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed that diplomacy is the best option for the international community to deal with the coup crisis in Niger.
“Diplomacy is certainly the preferred way of resolving this situation,” Blinken told French Radio RFI. “It is ECOWAS’ current approach. It is our approach,” he said, referring to the West African bloc’s efforts to reinstate the ousted democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, who was detained last week.
During a press briefing in Washington, the US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller highlighted that the US saw a “window of opportunity” for the coup to end.
“The window of opportunity is definitely still open. We believe that the junta should step aside and let President (Mohamed) Bazoum resume his duties,” Miller said.
He also asserted that Washington was focused on finding a diplomatic solution but dismissed efforts by Mali and Burkina Faso after they sent their envoys to Niger.
“If we thought they were sending envoys to try to restore democratic leadership and the constitutional order, we would see that as productive and helpful, but I very much doubt that’s the case,” Miller noted.
