Niger Coup: ECOWAS Military Chiefs Postpone Meeting Indefinitely

Defence chiefs in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have postponed a meeting to discuss the modalities to activate the “standby force” issued to reinstate elected President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger.

Naija News reports that the meeting scheduled today, Saturday, in Ghana’s capital Accra has been postponed indefinitely.

The Chiefs of Staff from member states of the West African bloc were set to attend the meeting in Accra, but they later said the meeting had been suspended indefinitely for “technical reasons”.

Sources told AFP that the meeting was originally set up to inform the organisation’s leaders about “the best options” for activating and deploying the standby force.

ECOWAS has yet to provide details on the force or a timetable for action, and the leaders have emphasised they still want a peaceful and diplomatic solution.

According to a report by AFP, a spokesperson for the regional bloc ECOWAS said on Friday that a new meeting for the military chiefs is now being scheduled for next week.

Recall that the military junta in Niger removed President Mohamed Bazoum from office and has since moved to establish a governance structure, along with the appointment of a civilian Prime Minister.

The coup leaders have also appointed military governors for the country’s regions.