ECOWAS defence chiefs ready to deploy forces into Niger

ECOWAS defence ministers have agreed to commit troops to a military deployment aimed at restoring Niger´s democratically elected president, who was toppled on 26 July.

The ECOWAS bloc previously announced its intention to deploy a standby force to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest.

But the 15-member bloc had not detailed which countries would join, nor has it said when the force might enter Niger.

On Friday, the ECOWAS commissioner for peace and security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said 11 countries have committed to the deployment.

“We are ready to go anytime the order is given,” Musah said in the Ghana capital, Accra, following two days of meetings there.

“Our troops are ready to respond to the call of duty of the region.”

The 11 countries don’t include Niger itself and the bloc’s three other countries under military rule following coups: Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso. The latter two have warned they would consider any intervention in Niger an act of war.

Musah indicated that ECOWAS is not yet giving up on engaging with Niger’s coup leaders, who already have ignored a deadline to reinstate Bazoum and have not been receptive to negotiations on restoring his rule.

Musah said an ECOWAS delegation may visit Niger on Saturday to try to pursue further dialogue with the Niger junta.