Emergency Meeting of West African Leaders on Niger Coup; Military Government Warns Against Any Intervention

West African leaders are convening in an emergency meeting in Nigeria's capital to decide on further actions aimed at pressuring the military to restore constitutional order in Niger, while Niger's military leaders have warned against any armed intervention in the country. According to Reuters, the heads of the 15 member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic Union, consisting of 8 countries, could suspend Niger's membership in their institutions, isolate the country from the central bank and regional financial markets, and close borders to it. West African leaders may also consider military intervention for the first time to restore the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. However, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the military government, responded to the emergency meeting by stating: 'The purpose of this ECOWAS meeting is to approve a plan to attack Niger through imminent military intervention in Niamey in cooperation with other non-ECOWAS African countries and some Western nations.' According to the World Bank, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, receiving nearly $2 billion in official development assistance annually. The country is also a security partner of its former colonial power, France, and the United States, both of which use it as a base to combat Islamist militants in West Africa and Central Africa. The military coup in Niger has been widely condemned by its neighbors and international partners, who have also refused to recognize its new leaders and called for the return of former President Bazoum to power. The United States, in alignment with the Economic Community of West African States and other European leaders, has strongly condemned the coup in Niger and called for the immediate release of President Mohamed Bazoum. Niger, known as a 'coup-prone' country, has a history of political instability since gaining independence from France in 1960. The last coup attempt occurred shortly before President Mohamed Bazoum's inauguration in April 2021. In addition to political challenges, Niger faces ongoing insurgencies from 'Islamist militants,' complicating the situation further. On Friday, August 6, Niger's military officers introduced General Abdourahamane Tiani as the new head of state and announced that with the ousting of President Bazoum and the suspension of the constitution, all previous institutions have been dissolved.