President of Nigeria and chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Tinubu, urged members of the West African bloc on Thursday to “prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of their approach, towards resolving Niger’s political crises.

    “The President expressed sadness that all previous attempts to persuade the coup plotters in Niger to reinstate former President Mohammed Bazoum had failed to achieve the intended results in his remarks of welcome at the extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS leaders, held in Abuja.

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    As you may remember, we urged the junta to reverse its decision to overthrow an elected government. In order to restore the constitutional order in Niger, we continued to implement sanctions in the hopes that this firm action would act as a catalyst.Unfortunately, the seven-day deadline we set during the first Summit hasn’t produced the results we were hoping for. We have also worked hard to engage the military junta in a peaceful political resolution through the deployment of various ECOWAS mediation teams.Additionally, leaders of the regional bloc sent Special Envoys to countries outside of ECOWAS, particularly to Libya and Algeria.

    Ecowas

    The Libyan Envoy was given the opportunity to speak with the President of Libya during these encounters. This discussion produced a clear declaration of support for the ECOWAS resolutions aimed at restoring constitutional government in Niger.”The envoy was welcomed in Algeria by the country’s foreign minister on behalf of the president. These initiatives aim to demonstrate an African nation’s cooperation and concerted approach by providing a cogent and united perspective regarding the current situation in Niger.A Memorandum from the President and the outcome of the Chiefs of Defense Staff Committee meeting, which was legally convened from August 2 to August 4, 2023, were also mentioned by the speaker.

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    These will provide crucial information that will guide this meeting’s decision-making as a whole. The ECOWAS leader added that “it is crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions and identify any gaps or challenges that may have impeded progress” after noting that today’s summit offers a significant opportunity to carefully review and assess the advancements made since our previous meeting.

    We cannot collaboratively map a viable road to long-term peace, stability, and development in Niger without first conducting this thorough examination. Furthermore, “it is essential that we prioritize diplomatic engagements and communication as the cornerstone of our strategy in order to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to democracy, human rights, and the welfare of the people of Niger. To persuade all parties to cede power and restore President Bazoum, including the coup leaders, we must hold sincere talks with all parties involved.It is our responsibility to use every available means of communication to ensure a prompt restoration of constitutional government in Niger.More precisely, we as the heads of our various countries must understand that the current crisis in Niger not only jeopardizes the country’s stability.

    “Today, we come together with a serious sense of urgency and steadfast resolve, building on the agreements made during our first Extraordinary Summit, on the serious political crisis afflicting our sister nation. We expressed our support for the Nigerian people and their democratically elected President, H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, at that first meeting by denouncing the military coup and the illegal arrest of the president.Abdulsalami Abubakar, a facilitator and a former head of state of Nigeria, is anticipated to give an update during the meeting on the results of his visit to Niamey, per the program seen by NaijaEcho

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