Italy has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to extend its deadline for the reinstatement of Niger’s ousted president.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani gave the advice in an interview published on Monday.
“The only way is the diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today,” Tajani told La Stampa newspaper.
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Niger closed its airspace on Sunday until further notice, citing the threat of military intervention from the West African regional bloc after coup leaders rejected a deadline to reinstate the country’s ousted president Mohammed Bazoum.
Earlier, thousands of junta supporters flocked to a stadium in Niamey, the capital, cheering the decision not to cave in to external pressure to stand down by Sunday following the July 26 power grab.
The coup, the seventh in West and Central Africa in three years, has rocked the Sahel region, one of the poorest in the world.
Given its uranium and oil riches and its pivotal role in a war with Islamist militants, Niger holds importance for the U.S., Europe, China, and Russia.
Defence chiefs of the bloc have agreed a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike, if the detained president, Mohamed Bazoum, is not released and reinstated by the deadline.
Meanwhile Niger is waiting for a response from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, after coup leaders in Niamey ignored a deadline to reinstate the ousted president – a move the bloc has warned could lead it to authorise a military intervention.
ECOWAS has said it would issue a statement on its next steps in response to the junta’s refusal to cave in to external pressure to stand down by Sunday following the July 26 power grab.
The bloc has taken a hard stance on the region’s seventh coup in three years. Given its uranium and oil riches and its pivotal role in a war with Islamist militants, Niger also holds importance for the U.S., Europe, China, and Russia.
On Sunday as the deadline expired, the junta closed its airspace until further notice, citing the increased threat of military intervention.
An escalation in the standoff with ECOWAS could further destabilise one of the world’s poorest regions, which is in the grip of a hunger crisis and battling an insurgency that has killed thousands and forced millions to flee.
ECOWAS defence chiefs have agreed a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike, if the detained president, Mohamed Bazoum, is not released and reinstated.
Any military intervention could be complicated by a promise from juntas in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso to come to Niger’s defence if needed.
On Sunday, Italy said it had reduced its troop numbers in Niger to make room in its military base for Italian civilians who may need protection if security deteriorates
