Nigeria, the current chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has proposed a compromise to address the political impasse in Niger following the July coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar conveyed the proposal, urging the military junta to release Bazoum from detention and allow him to seek exile in a third country. This arrangement, according to Tuggar, could pave the way for discussions on lifting the sanctions imposed on Niger by ECOWAS.
ECOWAS has consistently demanded Bazoum’s immediate reinstatement as president, but the military junta has maintained his detention and indicated a potential timeframe of up to three years for a return to civilian rule.
Tuggar emphasized ECOWAS’s willingness to engage in dialogue with the Niger junta, stating, “The opportunity is there. We are always ready, willing, and able to listen to them and the ball is in their court.”
The political turmoil in West Africa has intensified in recent years, with coups d’état taking place in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger since 2020. Last month, a failed coup attempt in Sierra Leone resulted in the deaths of 21 individuals, highlighting the region’s precarious political climate.
In a separate development, Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo declared an incident involving members of the National Guard this week as an attempted coup. The situation underscores the ongoing challenges to democratic stability in the region.
ECOWAS leaders are scheduled to convene in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, on December 10 to deliberate on the region’s political landscape. The summit is expected to focus on addressing the coup-induced instability and promoting democratic governance within the bloc.
