ECOWAS postpones a meeting in Ghana on the possible deployment of a regional force in Niger

MADRID, 12 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has postponed a meeting of the chiefs of staff that was to be held this Saturday in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on the possible military intervention of the regional body in Niger after the coup. State perpetrated in the country.

The meeting, whose objective was to specify the details of the possible deployment of a regional force to restore constitutional order in the country, was expected to take place this Saturday, although it is likely that it will finally take place early next week. has picked up Radio France Internationale.

This comes after thousands of demonstrators gathered on Friday afternoon in the streets of the Nigerien capital, Niamey, to protest against ECOWAS actions, as well as against France, the ANP news agency has reported.

The head of the military junta established in Niger after the coup, Abdourahmane Tchiani, headed the first meeting of the new government the day before, remodeled in recent days despite international calls for the reinstatement of the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, who remains imprisoned in Niamey.

The board thus continues its activity after the leaders of ECOWAS, meeting urgently in Nigeria, agreed to activate a regional force that, if necessary, could intervene militarily in Niger. The bloc does not rule out this possibility, although for now it maintains that it will try to exhaust all diplomatic channels.

More than two weeks ago, a group of soldiers led by Tchiani, former head of the Presidential Guard, dismissed Bazoum. Niger has experienced four other -- now five -- coups since it gained independence from France in 1960, as well as several failed attempts, the last of which was in 2021, days before the now-ousted president took office.