ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff meeting in Ghana on Thursday and Friday

Chiefs of staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet in Ghana on Thursday August 17 and Friday August 18 to discuss possible military intervention in Niger, Agence France-Presse learned on Tuesday. and political resources.

The meeting, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, was postponed. It will finally take place a week after ECOWAS leaders decided to deploy “Standby Squad” Organization to reinstate President Mohamed Bassum of Niger, who was ousted by a military coup on July 26.

ECOWAS says it wants to prioritize it, although several countries such as Cote d’Ivoire have said they are ready to send their troops to Niger. “diplomatic way”. The idea of ​​military intervention is divisive: political, religious and civil society voices are being raised in northern Nigeria, who fear dire consequences for their country and the Sahel region, which has been devastated by jihadist violence.

Threats of prosecution for “high treason”.

After rejecting several mediations by ECOWAS, the Nigerian military junta on Saturday welcomed a delegation of Nigerian religious leaders. The meeting was followed by a military-appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Sain “Great Interest” From Niger “protect” A “Important and Historical Relationship” With Nigeria and ECOWAS.

But now the government has announced that it wants to, and the hot wind is blowing “to continue” Deposed President Mohamed Basoom “High Treason”. An approach to ECOWAS, “constitutes a new type of provocation and is contrary to the desire of the military authorities of the Republic of Niger to restore constitutional order by peaceful means”.

“We are deeply appalled by the news that this adds a new dimension to the unjust detention of President Bazoom.”For its part, the State Department in Washington appreciated this “No [contribuerait] Certainly this crisis cannot be resolved peacefully.”.

Before the coup, the United States was Niger’s main partner, along with France. Both countries station about 2,600 troops there in the fight against jihadist groups that have undermined the country and, beyond, much of the Sahel for years.