ECOWAS Heads of State have validated the military option against Niger. It is a question of intervening by force to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to his duties. A high-risk mission and a most perilous intervention, reminiscent of Libya.
It was this Thursday, August 10, 2023 that the Heads of State of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) met in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. An extraordinary meeting focused on the situation in Niger. In this West African country, the military seized power by force, overthrowing the democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum. A putsch considered too much, after those of Mali and those of Burkina Faso.
WHEN NATO SOWED CHAOS IN LIBYA
These are unconstitutional changes that the sub-regional body has decided to ban. Especially since the new President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, takes over the presidency of ECOWAS. If the putsches in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso did not trigger strong reactions from ECOWAS, this does not seem to apply to Niger. In this particular case, ECOWAS does not intend to stand idly by. It even decided to take up arms to resolve the crisis in the country.
A foreign military intervention in a sovereign country is therefore not to be ruled out in the coming days. A situation reminiscent of Libya, when led by Muammar Gaddafi. There, the NATO military intervention (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) led to the death of the then Libyan President on October 20, 2011. And since that date, this North African country has been living in chronic instability. Libya is indeed mired in an unprecedented crisis, not to mention that it has become a sanctuary for terrorist organizations.
HISTORY WILL RECORD THAT FRANCE…
Today, Paris gives “full support to all the conclusions of the ECOWAS Summit” with the same vigour as that which France employed under Nicolas Sarkozy in its intervention in Libya. And the main conclusion is that the member countries of ECOWAS have decided to launch an assault in Niger. It is even obvious that France has gone out of its way to ensure that this military intervention takes place in Niger. Moreover, Paris does not hide its wish to oppose any support for the putschists.
Masses of the Niger people supporting the coup leaders, 10.8.23
Today once again, history seems to stutter. Niger, located in the three-border region where terrorists are active, is about to be attacked, according to information from Jeune Afrique. If there is an attack, it will be difficult not to draw a parallel with Libya where France led the military intervention, leaving the chaos behind. Today, it is the turn of Niger, where France seems to be pulling the strings to safeguard its interests.
Even if this means imploding the entire West African region?
If there is a military intervention in Niger, history will remember!
Article published on August 10, 2023 by Bamada.net, news web of Mali
Source: https://bamada.net/afrique-la-cedeao-sur-les-pas-de-lotan
Featured photo: Support for the revolutionary soldiers in Niger during a demonstration on August 6, 2023 in Niamey – AFP
