NIGER | ECOWAS delegation hold talks with General Tchiani, ousted president Bazoum

NIAMEY, Saturday August 19, 2023 - Niger’s new military leader General Abdourahmane Tchiani, today held talks with a delegation from West Africa’s regional economic  bloc ECOWAS, who also met with Niger’s ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.

The ECOWAS delegation in Niamey met with ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in the presence of Prime Minister Ali Zeine and a member of junta.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed on Friday that the decision to activate a standby force  would be used only as a last resort if diplomatic efforts fail. 

West Africa’s main bloc on Friday agreed on a “D-day” for possible military intervention to restore democracy in Niger after generals toppled and detained President Mohamed Bazoum last month. 

A plane carrying the delegation landed in the capital Niamey at about 1pm (12:00 GMT) on Saturday, a day after the bloc’s military chiefs said they would be pursuing a diplomatic solution to the problem in Niger.

Niger’s governing military council confirmed the arrival of the ECOWAS representatives, headed by former Nigerian leader Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The group was allowed to meet Bazoum, the first time foreign officials have seen the ousted leader in weeks.

“We met Bazoum, we heard from him what was done to him. He told us about the problems he’s facing. We’ll take it to the leaders who sent us here,” said Abubakar. “Without doubt, the meeting has opened discussions to lead to a way to resolve this crisis.”

A previous ECOWAS delegation led by Abubakar earlier this month tried and failed to meet Bazoum and the coup leader.

The West Africa representatives are said to have held talks with Tchiani on Saturday, though there was no information as to what was discussed.

There was no immediate comment from the military rulers. Tchiani was scheduled to address the nation in a televised address on Saturday evening.

ECOWAS delegates came to Niamey and joined efforts by the United Nations Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simao, who arrived on Friday, in trying to facilitate a resolution to the continuing crisis.

On Friday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Simao would meet the military rulers and other parties to try and facilitate a swift and peaceful resolution to Niger’s crisis.

“What we want to see is a return to the constitutional order. We want to see the liberation of the president and his family, and restoration of his legitimate authority,” Dujarric said.

On August 10, ECOWAS ordered the deployment of a “standby force” to restore constitutional rule in the country.

Following a two-day meeting of ECOWAS defence chiefs in the Ghanaian capital Accra, the bloc’s commissioner for peace and security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said they agreed to commit troops for a military deployment in coup-hit Niger, adding that they were “ready to go” whenever the order was given.

During the talks on Thursday and Friday, the ECOWAS defence chiefs fine-tuned the objectives and strategic capacity required for a military mission to restore democracy in Niger, Musah told journalists in Accra.