Niger coup: Ecowas must ‘exhaust all avenues’ before violence, says head Tinubu
- The summit came 4 days after expiry of an ultimatum to Niger’s coup leaders to reinstate the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, who was detained on July 26
- The coup leaders on Thursday signalled further defiance by appointing a new government
West African leaders on Thursday said they firmly supported diplomacy in the search to end the crisis in Niger, stepping back from a threat to intervene militarily in the coup-stricken country.
“We prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, chairing an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) in Abuja.
“It is our duty to exhaust all avenues to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu emphasised that a solution should be found through diplomatic, rather than military means. “In our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights and the well being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach,” said the chairman.
The 15-nation bloc is struggling to stem military takeovers that have now swept through four of its members in three years.
Their summit came four days after the expiry of an ultimatum to Niger’s coup leaders to reinstate the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, who was detained by guards on July 26.
