Tensions in Niger Republic have remained high as the military junta refused access to a United Nations, African Union (AU), and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) negotiating delegation scheduled for Tuesday, according to DAILY POST.
On Monday, US envoy Victoria Nuland met with junta members in the city, Niamey, but was denied access to either jailed President Mohamed Bazoum or military ruler General Abdourahamane Tchiani. The US government, though, indicated it will continue to look for a diplomatic solution, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the military administrations of Burkina Faso and Mali have urged the United Nations Security Council not to authorize military action against the Niger putschists.
ECOWAS had threatened military action against the Niger junta that had taken control, suspended the constitution, and imprisoned the president. In a letter to the UN Security Council and the African Union, Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Oli Rouamba and his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Diop urged them “to prevent, by all means at its disposal, armed action against a sovereign state, the consequences of which would be unforeseeable in their magnitude.”
Both governments stated that the goal was to “avoid a deterioration of the security situation due to the proliferation and spread of terrorist groups, as well as a humanitarian tragedy.” Burkina Faso and Mali are currently suspended from ECOWAS after coups in which they openly supported Niger’s military rulers. They stated that they would not support ECOWAS sanctions and that any military action would be considered a “declaration of war” against their own countries.
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