Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced in an interview published today, Monday, that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should extend the deadline given to Niger to reinstate its ousted president.
Speaking to La Stampa newspaper, Tajani stressed, “Diplomacy is the only way. I hope that the ECOWAS deadline, which expired at midnight, will be extended today.”
The region of the African Sahel was shaken when the military took power in Niger, marking the seventh coup witnessed in West and Central Africa within three years.
Niger is among the world’s poorest regions and holds significant strategic importance for global powers.
Pressures are mounting on the military in Niamey to end the coup and safeguard President Mohamed Bazoum’s life.
As the one-week deadline granted by ECOWAS approaches its end, these pressures, even without military mobilization, make sustaining the coup difficult, especially in light of the economic sanctions imposed on Niger.
The nation relies on international aid for nearly 40% of its budget. With Nigeria cutting off electricity supplies, Niger’s economic resilience appears limited.
Up to now, Niamey’s ruling military council has shown no willingness to relinquish power, instead orchestrating demonstrations to suggest popular support.
A military intervention from ECOWAS doesn’t seem imminent, given that the Nigerian Senate has not granted President Bola Tinubu explicit permission to use military force to restore constitutional legitimacy to neighboring Niger.
Without Nigeria, the largest country in the ECOWAS and sharing a border with Niger stretching approximately 1500 kilometers, the options for using force remain limited even with implicit backing from France and the United States.
