The Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS, Abdoulaye Moussa, announced today, Thursday, that most of the 15 member states of ECOWAS, excluding those under military rule and Cape Verde, are ready to participate in the standby force that may intervene in Niger following a coup there at the end of last month. He stated, "If all solutions fail in Niger, the ECOWAS force is ready to respond." He added, "The constitutional order in Niger will be restored by all available means."
He indicated that the military council in Niger pretends to be ready for talks and seeks reasons to justify the coup. Moussa criticized the military council's announcement regarding support for charging Bazoum with treason. He said, "The irony is that the hostage is the one accused of treason. Everyone is asking when he committed high treason." Military officers in Niger overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and defied calls from the United Nations, ECOWAS, and Western powers to restore him to office, prompting leaders of West African countries to order the formation of the standby force.
