West African CSOs Urge ECOWAS To Seek Alternatives To Military Action In Niger

West African Civil Society Organisations have urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to drop its planned military intervention in the Niger Republic and seek alternatives to war.

In response to the latest military coup in Niger, ECOWAS had threatened to deploy military force, including severe economic and financial sanctions, to reinstate Niger’s ousted leader, Mohamed Bazoum.

But the groups; Spaces for Change and West African CSOs said other alternatives to take another war include considering a comprehensive approach that encompasses political, security and diplomatic dimensions or allowing for a systematic transition to democratic rule in Niger.

The groups in a statement signed by Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, the Executive Director, Spaces for Change said, flawed elections obstruct the civic space and lay the foundation for military takeovers.

He said West African leaders can significantly reduce the occurrence of unconstitutional change of power by creating an enabling environment for the conduct of free and fair elections across the subregion.

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Ibezim-Ohaeri said citizens of West African countries have the right to determine who shall lead them, and this right is inalienable.

“The undersigned civil society organisations in West Africa are very concerned about the unconstitutional change of governments in West Africa and the planned use of military action to reinstate the ousted regimes.

“In response to the latest military coup in Niger, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has threatened to deploy military force, including severe economic and financial sanctions, to reinstate Niger’s ousted leader, Mohamed Bazoum.

“These concerted plans to deploy maximum force and sanctions against Niger have persisted despite the outright rejection of military operations by the parliaments in West African countries and the warnings by rights groups about the looming humanitarian crises often associated with the use of force.

“Between August 2020 and July 2023, West Africa has witnessed a string of military takeovers in five countries: Burkina Faso (January 2022), Guinea (September 2021), Chad (April 2021), Mali

(August 2020 and May 2021), and Niger (July 2023). Other African countries such as Guinea Bissau (January 2022) and Gabon (August 2023) have also witnessed successful and unsuccessful military coups in recent times, indicating the growing popularity of military overthrows mostly following the conduct of deeply-flawed elections that produced outcomes that are inconsistent with the wishes of the electorate.

“We strongly condemn the unconstitutional changes of political power as well as the extremely defective electoral processes, worsening insecurity and pervasive governance challenges triggering them.

“Although Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu currently heads the ECOWAS’ Standby Force, the upper chambers of the Nigerian parliament have strongly rejected the option of military operations, and urged for a political solution.

“ECOWAS’ Standby Force is threatening to intervene militarily if President Mohamed Bazoum is not reinstated and constitutional order is not restored, but at the same time, Mali and Burkina Faso have formed a military alliance to provide military assistance to Niger in case of a military intervention.

“Pro-coup rallies have surged in many parts of Niger and Nigeria, protesting against the planned military operations. These contrasting positions express the deep-seated polarisation within both the ECOWAS parliament and West African countries regarding the right way to resolve the political impasse in Niger,” the statement read.