ECOWAS resumes deliberations in Abuja as Niger coup leaders appoint 21 ministers

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, is in charge of the regional body’s Extraordinary Summit on the political situation in the Niger Republic.

The summit, which is holding at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, will be deliberating on developments in neighbouring Niger Republic, particularly on the next line of actions that will follow up on the resolutions and ultimatum issued to the Nigerien junta, which recently sacked the administration of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

The ECOWAS Authority during the last Extraordinary Summit on July 30, in Abuja imposed a number of sanctions on Niger, particularly the coupists, and demanded for the immediate release of President Bazoum, his family and members of the government, who are all being detained by the military.

To avert the escalation of the crisis and stave off the possibility of an armed intervention, several stakeholders with Nigeria and Niger have been making moves to prevail on the ECOWAS and the military junta in Niger to approach the situation diplomatically and continue with negotiations.

This morning, however, the Abdourahamane Tchiani-led junta, announced a 21-member cabinet led by Ali Mahaman Liman Zeine, who was appointed as Prime Minister by the military.

Presidents of member-states attending the meeting include Julius Maada Bio of Sierra-Leone; Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau; Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast; Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana; Macky Sall of Senegal; Patrice Talon of Benin and Faure Gnassingbe of Togo.

The Gambia and Liberia are member-States being represented by their Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Also attending are Presidents Evariste Ndayishmiye of Burundi and Mohammed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania.

More details to follow…

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(Nation)