ECOWAS may ship a diplomatic mission to Niger on Saturday, an official mentioned on Friday, as ECOWAS protection chiefs proceed talks in Ghana on the Niger disaster after coup plotters ignored the bloc’s deadline West African to withdraw. The information comes as america mentioned it plans to evacuate two key drone and counterterrorism bases in Niger as a precaution if it turns into vital underneath that nation’s new junta. from West Africa. Learn our weblog to see how the day’s occasions unfolded. All occasions are Paris occasions (GMT+2).
CORRECTION: Opposite to what was mentioned on air Thursday, Guinea-Bissau is properly represented in Accra by its military chief of workers. The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, assured FRANCE 24 that his nation “totally agrees with the selections taken by ECOWAS throughout the assembly of chiefs of workers.”
This dwell weblog is now not up to date.
9:36 p.m.: “Potential” diplomatic mission to Niger on Saturday
West African bloc ECOWAS may ship a diplomatic mission to Niger on Saturday, an official mentioned Friday, though earlier delegations have failed to satisfy the nation’s new strongman.
“Tomorrow, it’s attainable that an ECOWAS mission will go to Niger to proceed the peaceable path in direction of the restoration of constitutional order. We’re able to resolve the issue peacefully, however it takes two to bop the dance tango,” mentioned ECOWAS official Abdel-Fatau Musah. commissioner for political affairs and safety.
9:20 p.m.: ECOWAS forces “prepared to depart as quickly because the order is given” on Niger
The ECOWAS drive is able to intervene in Niger “every time the order is given”, an official mentioned Friday after talks on the coup that toppled the nation. Mohamed Bazoum as president.
“We’re prepared to depart as quickly because the order is given. D-day can also be determined,” the official mentioned after West African army leaders held a second day of talks getting ready for a attainable armed intervention in Niger.
7:30 p.m.: US prepares to evacuate drone bases if vital underneath new Niger junta, commander says
THE WE Nigeria is getting ready precautionary plans to evacuate two key drone and counter-terrorism bases in Niger if it turns into vital underneath the West African nation’s new ruling junta, the nation’s commander mentioned on Friday. Air Power for Africa.
This planning contains searching for U.S.-allied nations within the Sahara and Sahel areas, a number of the most lively areas on the planet for extremist teams allied with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, “with whom we may perhaps companion up after which transfer our belongings there.” “Air Power Gen. James Hecker informed reporters in Washington.
Hecker pressured that the Biden administration has not decided on whether or not the Nigerien army’s July 26 overthrow of the nation’s democratically elected president would drive U.S. diplomats or safety forces to depart the nation. .
Hecker added that he believed it will be “weeks, if not for much longer” earlier than U.S. officers would announce any evacuation choice, if that have been to occur.
4:51 p.m.: Nigerian chief warns of “severe penalties” if Niger president’s well being deteriorates
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu He warned there could be “severe penalties” if Niger’s army regime allowed ousted President Mohamed Bazoum’s well being to deteriorate whereas underneath home arrest, a European official mentioned Friday.
In a name to European Union chief Charles Michel, the Nigerian chief, president of the ECOWAS regional bloc against the coup in Niger, mentioned: “The circumstances of detention of President Bazoum are deteriorating” .
Beforehand, the EU official wrongly attributed the warning of “severe penalties” to Michel.
2:19 p.m.: “The very notion of freedom” is at stake in Niger, says UN rights chief
The United Nations on Friday castigated the generals who took energy in Niger on “a whim”, plunging the nation additional into poverty and stranding hundreds of migrants.
“The very notion of freedoms in Niger is at stake,” UN rights chief Volker Turk mentioned in an announcement.
“Generals can not take it upon themselves to defy – on a whim – the need of the individuals,” he mentioned. “Rule by drive has no place in immediately’s world.”
1:46 p.m.: ECOWAS army intervention in Niger would most likely be “very focused”, based on an professional
If the West African bloc of ECOWAS decides to intervene militarily Nigerhe would most likely go for “slim and focused” motion, as a result of NigerThe massive measurement of the corporate makes a traditional takeover “not possible”. Paul Melly, Africa program marketing consultant at Chatham Home, speaks to FRANCE 24.
12:09 p.m.: ECOWAS presents the Nigerien junta “an choice to decide on the peace course of”
Decide Baidoo of FRANCE 24 in Ghana says “all choices are nonetheless on the desk” ECOWAS talks. West African protection chiefs “supply the junta Niger an choice to decide on the peace course of, that’s, they withdraw with out resorting to army drive,” Baidoo added. He additionally mentioned it had been “very tough to get data from many ECOWAS officers current right here. (…) On the one hand, they are saying that they’re very satisfied that this motion will occur. However, they’re unable to say when and the way it will occur.”
11:50 a.m.: UN rights chief says democracy should be restored in Niger
THE The United Nations On Friday, he criticized the generals who seized energy in Niger on “a whim” and plunged the nation additional into distress, demanding that constitutional order be instantly restored.
“Generals can not take it upon themselves to defy – on a whim – the need of the individuals,” UN mentioned human rights chief Volker Turk in an announcement. “Rule by drive has no place in immediately’s world.”
Turk identified that Niger was already one of many poorest nations on the planet, with nearly half the inhabitants “mired in an excessive scenario”. poverty“.
He warned that the coup was making the scenario even worse, with borders closed, commerce halted, extreme energy cuts and rising meals costs, and known as for “free and whole humanitarian help.
Turk lamented that “the very individuals they elected to construct a path to finish their distress have been forcibly expelled, opposite to the constitutional order, and detained by the putschists,” he mentioned. declared.
“They should be launched instantly, and democracy restored.”
Turk expressed his issues concerning the choice introduced by the putschists of prosecute detained president Mohamed Bazoum.
“This choice shouldn’t be solely politically motivated towards a democratically elected president, however it has no authorized foundation as the traditional functioning of democratic establishments has been put apart,” he mentioned .
He additionally described “a crackdown on civic area”, highlighting allegations of intimidation towards journalists and ban on worldwide mediaas “very worrying”.
Essential developments from Thursday August 17:
West African army leaders started talks in Ghana Thursday to debate attainable armed intervention to overthrow the coup in Niger.
THE African Union rejected the thought of army intervention, as did a number of regional capitals.
The junta has mentioned it’s open to negotiations, however has detained ousted President Mohamed Bazoum since taking energy on July 26 and needs to prosecute him for treason.
Learn yesterday’s liveblog to see how the day’s occasions unfolded.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
