US extends support to ECOWAS, demands immediate release of President Bazoum

Washington DC [US]: The United States on Monday extended support to the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to defend constitutional order in Niger.

This comes as the Niger military has been holding Mohamed Bazoum, the elected president since Wednesday in the third attempt to depose a Sahelian leader in as many years.

“The United States welcomes and commends the strong leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government to defend constitutional order in Niger, actions that respect the will of the Nigerien people and align with enshrined ECOWAS and African Union principles of zero tolerance for unconstitutional change,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a US State Department statement.

The US further called for the immediate release of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family and the restoration of all state functions to the legitimate, democratically-elected government.

“The United States further welcomes the dispatch of the special representative of the ECOWAS Chair to Niger and urges all parties to work with ECOWAS for a peaceful and expeditious resolution of the current situation,” the state department stated.

The statement added that the US will remain actively engaged with ECOWAS and West African leaders on the next steps to preserve Niger’s hard-earned democracy.

Earlier on Sunday, ECOWAS, sought Bazoum’s release and reinstatement within a week on Sunday, according to CNN.

The group declared it would “take all necessary measures to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger,” including the use of force if the junta remained in power.

A slew of punitive measures, including the closure of the land and air borders with Niger, were also announced by ECOWAS.

The group declared that it will reject any sort of supposed resignation from Bazoum, whom they view as a hostage.

Earlier, it was stated that France and the European Union will support ECOWAS organisations in their decision to impose sanctions on the junta. The two had previously stopped providing money to Niger.

Since gaining independence from France in 1960, military coups have occurred frequently in Niger, however, political instability has decreased recently. In 2021, Bazoum was elected president in the nation’s first democratic transfer of power.

Before gaining its independence in 1860, Niger spent more than 50 years as a French colony. Strong diplomatic relations existed between the two nations prior to Thursday’s coup, but many Nigeriens believe France has continued to treat Niger like an imperial state, depriving it of its natural riches and imposing its leaders’ economic policies.

One of the poorest nations in the world, Niger receives aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually.