US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkin has applauded President Tinubu’s leadership in ECOWAS amidst the ongoing coup crisis in Niger Republic.
In a tweet via his verified Twitter account, the US Chief Diplomat said:
- “Spoke to Nigerian President Tinubu to commend his leadership of the Economic Community of West African States and discussed shared efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger.”
The Coup in Niger
Niger had plunged into a state of political turmoil since late July when President Bazoum was forcibly removed from power in a coup carried out by the presidential guard.
The coup garnered intense international criticism and has brought renewed instability to a volatile region in Africa that both coups and militant extremism have plagued.
Recall that the military junta also named Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, former minister of Economy and Finance, as the country’s new Prime Minister.
What ECOWAS is doing
In response to the coup, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) swiftly imposed sanctions and issued a request to the ruling military junta.
The ultimatum demanded that the junta relinquish power within a week or potentially face intervention by military forces.
Leaders from West Africa escalated their rhetoric against the coup organizers in Niger and commanded the mobilization of a regional standby force to reinstate constitutional order in the nation.
Previously, ECOWAS had granted the coup leaders until August 6 to release Bazoum and restore him as the president, surrendering control, or risk facing military action as a final recourse.
Recently, ECOWAS reported that a planned joint mission involving the United Nations and the African Union, intended to meet with the Nigerien military junta, was unsuccessful.
The mission was cancelled after the military authorities in Niamey communicated their inability to receive the tripartite delegation.
