Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, has announced that the West African bloc is prepared to fund a possible military operation in Niger to restore constitutional order.
Briefing the media about the outcome of a two-day meeting of army chiefs of the ECOWAS member states in Accra yesterday, he indicated that the planning mission which started on August 3, 2023 had come to an end.
“We have already agreed and fine-tuned what will be required for the intervention. The strategy, capacity, and the strategic objective, equipment needed, commitment of member states are very encouraging,” he stated.
According to him, the ECOWAS member states present at the meeting have all committed elements, equipment, and resources to carry out the mission in Niger.
“I tell you, we are ready to go anytime the order is given. The D-day is also silent. There will be no more meetings of the Chiefs of Defence Staff. If there will be, it will probably be in the course of the operation, if there is the need to adjust the operation,” he posited.
Ambassador Musah added, “As soon as our Heads of State and Government are satisfied with the report to be presented, our troops across the region are ready to respond to the call of duty in Niger.”
He noted that they were not against the Republic of Niger, and that the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had put all the options on the table, pointing out that they would be sending a mediation mission into the country.
“We have not shut any door at all. The sanctions are also on the table, and if they respond favourably to the request of the authorities of ECOWAS Heads of State, we are ready to accept,” the ECOWAS Commissioner intimated.
However, he stated that they would not engage in an endless discussion, and that any dialogue and its conclusion must be truthful, with the goal of restoring constitutional order in the shortest possible time.
“We are also calling for the release of the legitimate President of the Republic of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum and his family as well as members of his government who are being held hostage by the regime in Niger.
“This is our message to them that our doors are open, but we are not going to engage in endless dialogue,” Dr. Musah stressed.
He stated that if the military junta chooses a peaceful path to restore constitutional order in the country, ECOWAS is willing to abandon the military option “because it is not our preferred option.”
“We are being obliged to do it because of the intransigence of the regime and the obstacles they have been putting in the way of a negotiated settlement to the restoration of constitutional order,” the Commissioner asserted.
By Ernest Kofi Adu