West Africa’s Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Defence Chiefs have come to an agreement on a potential “D-day” for a military intervention to reinstate civilian rule in Niger if diplomatic efforts fall short.
According to Reuters, Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, revealed this development on Friday, refraining from disclosing the specific date.
This disclosure followed a two-day assembly of West African military chiefs in Accra, Ghana’s capital, where they meticulously outlined the logistics and strategies for a potential employment of military force in Niger. ECOWAS has stated that such intervention would be a last resort.
Just a day prior, ECOWAS troops had expressed their preparedness to join a standby force aimed at restoring democracy in Niger after President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown and detained by military leaders.
At a meeting in Accra on Thursday, all member states, excluding those under military rule and Cape Verde, unanimously decided to activate a “standby force” as a final option for reestablishing democratic governance in Niger.
Concluding the two-day session, Musah asserted, “We are primed to act as soon as the command is issued. The D-Day has also been determined. We have already reached an agreement and fine-tuned the requirements for the intervention.”