ECOWAS Rejects 3-Year Transition Period in Niger

A commissioner from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced today, Monday, that the bloc has rejected a proposal from Niger's ruling military council to return to democracy and hold elections within three years of the July coup. The head of the military council in Niger, General Abdourahmane Tiani, stated earlier this week that the military government, which took power on July 26, would launch a national dialogue to consult on the transition to democracy, which "should not take more than three years." These statements came on Saturday evening after a delegation from ECOWAS met with Tiani and the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, in the capital, Niamey, earlier that day.