The discussions between the African Union and ECOWAS, meeting in Addis Ababa on August 14 on the occasion of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), seem to have reached an impasse. No press release was published after the meeting, a sign of the difficulties in defining a common roadmap. A new meeting between the West African chiefs of staff is to be held in Accra, Ghana to discuss the details of a possible operation. Follow hour by hour the situation in Niger.
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6:43 p.m .: for Nicolas Sarkozy, the coup in Niger is doomed to “failure”
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy predicts the “certain” failure of the authors of the coup in Niger, believing that it is the “long-term” maintenance of French military forces in the Sahel that has provoked anti-French hatred .
“The problem is deep and in reality insoluble because it is that of the prolonged presence of our army in our former colonies”, explains the former head of state, in a river interview with Figaro on the occasion of the release of his new book “Le Temps des combats” (Fayard).
“However good and generous our intentions, any mission that drags on ends up making us appear (…) as an occupying force”, he adds, convinced that “the Africans themselves” will understand ” the impasse into which these so-called leaders resulting from military coups are leading them”. “Their failure is certain,” he warns, about the perpetrators of the July 26 coup that led to the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum.
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5:01 p.m .: “difficult” discussions between ECOWAS and the AU around a possible military intervention
The meeting of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), held in Addis Ababa on August 14 between the African Union and ECOWAS, was “difficult”, “very frank”, and “very long”, has entrusted an African diplomatic source to our colleagues at RFI. Most of the debates focused on the possibility of a military intervention.
“Some, within the Council, wished to be able to express reservations and ask for clarifications in the sequence which could lead”, continued the same source. A sign of points of disagreement, no statement was published at the end of the Council.
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4:04 p.m .: another crucial meeting Thursday and Friday in Ghana
A crucial West African military meeting is to be held Thursday and Friday in Ghana. The participants must consider the modalities of a possible armed intervention to restore constitutional order in Niger.
If the option of a military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) remains on the table to restore the overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum to his functions, the path of dialogue and diplomacy with the military junta in power in Niamey nevertheless seems privileged.
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9:53 am: at least 17 soldiers killed in an attack near Burkina Faso
An attack by suspected jihadists has killed at least 17 soldiers in Niger before a crucial West African military meeting on Thursday, which must consider the modalities of a possible armed intervention to restore constitutional order in this country.
In a press release published on Tuesday, ECOWAS evokes “various attacks perpetrated by armed groups” having “caused the death of several Nigerien soldiers”, without specifying the dates of these.
The organization, which “strongly condemns” these attacks, also calls on the military regime in Niamey “to restore constitutional order in Niger so that it can focus (its) attention on security in the country” which has “further weakened since the coup attempt”.
Tuesday’s attack is the deadliest since the July 26 coup.
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The essential of the day of August 15
The head of government formed after the coup in Niger, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, was visiting Chad where he was “received by President” Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, according to the government and the presidency.
The chiefs of staff of the Economic Community of West African States are to meet Thursday and Friday in Ghana to discuss a possible military intervention in Niger, according to a spokesman for the organization.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of the Malian junta Assimi Goïta have for their part called for a peaceful settlement of the crisis.
With AFP and Reuters
Source: France 24
