• About us
  • Impressum
  • Contact
CIVIL Today
  • HOME
  • NEWSROOM
  • POLITICS
  • SOCIETY
  • OPINION
    • EDITORIAL
    • POINT OF VIEW
  • WORLD
  • WAR IN UKRAINE
    • All
    • А YEAR OF HEROISM
    • БОРОТЬБА УКРАЇНИ
    The false claims about the protests in Ukraine and the Serbian-Russian propaganda narratives in the media in North Macedonia

    The false claims about the protests in Ukraine and the Serbian-Russian propaganda narratives in the media in North Macedonia

    Deralla for UKRINFORM: Ukraine is the agenda!

    Deralla for UKRINFORM: Ukraine is the agenda!

    Ukrainian MP Merezhko for Times Radio on Trump’s military pledge: A huge step toward peace

    Ukrainian MP Merezhko for Times Radio on Trump’s military pledge: A huge step toward peace

    Ukraine’s recovery, Europe’s reckoning

    Ukraine’s recovery, Europe’s reckoning

    Kallas Welcomes Trump’s Stance—but Warns 50 Day Ultimatum Risks More Civilian Suffering

    Kallas Welcomes Trump’s Stance—but Warns 50 Day Ultimatum Risks More Civilian Suffering

    Address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood

    Address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood

    Eyes on Democracy: Ukraine’s Recovery and the Power of Global Solidarity

    Eyes on Democracy: Ukraine’s Recovery and the Power of Global Solidarity

    Russia’s Hypersonic Kinzhal Strike on Ukrainian Airbase Fails — Again

    Russia’s Hypersonic Kinzhal Strike on Ukrainian Airbase Fails — Again

    New Europeans People’s Forum: Update from Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome

    New Europeans People’s Forum: Update from Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • NEWSROOM
  • POLITICS
  • SOCIETY
  • OPINION
    • EDITORIAL
    • POINT OF VIEW
  • WORLD
  • WAR IN UKRAINE
    • All
    • А YEAR OF HEROISM
    • БОРОТЬБА УКРАЇНИ
    The false claims about the protests in Ukraine and the Serbian-Russian propaganda narratives in the media in North Macedonia

    The false claims about the protests in Ukraine and the Serbian-Russian propaganda narratives in the media in North Macedonia

    Deralla for UKRINFORM: Ukraine is the agenda!

    Deralla for UKRINFORM: Ukraine is the agenda!

    Ukrainian MP Merezhko for Times Radio on Trump’s military pledge: A huge step toward peace

    Ukrainian MP Merezhko for Times Radio on Trump’s military pledge: A huge step toward peace

    Ukraine’s recovery, Europe’s reckoning

    Ukraine’s recovery, Europe’s reckoning

    Kallas Welcomes Trump’s Stance—but Warns 50 Day Ultimatum Risks More Civilian Suffering

    Kallas Welcomes Trump’s Stance—but Warns 50 Day Ultimatum Risks More Civilian Suffering

    Address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood

    Address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood

    Eyes on Democracy: Ukraine’s Recovery and the Power of Global Solidarity

    Eyes on Democracy: Ukraine’s Recovery and the Power of Global Solidarity

    Russia’s Hypersonic Kinzhal Strike on Ukrainian Airbase Fails — Again

    Russia’s Hypersonic Kinzhal Strike on Ukrainian Airbase Fails — Again

    New Europeans People’s Forum: Update from Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome

    New Europeans People’s Forum: Update from Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome

No Result
View All Result
CIVIL Today
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWSROOM

Leaders of a powerful west African regional bloc order the activation of its standby force

August 11, 2023
in NEWSROOM, POLITICS, WORLD
Leaders of a powerful west African regional bloc order the activation of its standby force
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Leaders of a powerful west African regional bloc have ordered the activation of its standby force, increasing the pressure on the senior army officers who deposed Niger’s democratically elected leader last month but leaving the door open for a diplomatic solution, writes The Guardian.

Speaking after an emergency Ecowas summit in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria warned that “no option is taken off the tables including the use of force as the last resort”.

“If we don’t do it, no one else will do it for us. We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Niger towards peaceful and democratic stability in the country,” Tinubu said.

After Tinubu spoke, an official communique was read out, which included a resolution asking the bloc’s defence officials to “activate the Ecowas standby force with all its elements immediately”.

Another resolution spoke of ordering “the deployment of the Ecowas standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger”, immediately followed by another that spoke of restoring such order “through peaceful means”.

On Thursday evening, US secretary of state Antony Blinken voiced support for ECOWAS, without explicitly backing for military intervention.

“ECOWAS … is playing a key role in making clear the imperative of a return to constitutional order, and we very much support ECOWAS’ leadership and work on this,” he said.

Earlier in the day Tinubu had appeared to step away from the imminent use of force despite a deadline expiring last weekend, which analysts said strongly suggested that the regional grouping was reluctant to go to war.

In his opening speech Tinubu said “diplomatic negotiations and dialogue” should be “the bedrock” of the Ecowas response to the crisis and barely mentioned the earlier threat to send thousands of troops into Niger after a coup d’état there by disgruntled army officers on 26 July.

“We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum. It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger,” Tinubu had said.

The mixed messages from Ecowas will do little reassure analysts, observers and international powers worried by the prospect of a chaotic conflict in the heart of the deeply troubled and strategical important Sahel.

Niger is key to western development and counter-terrorist efforts across the Sahel. These have already been seriously undermined by two successive coups by Mali, now ruled by a military regime, while a recent coup in Burkina Faso has brought a 35-year-old army captain to power.

Tinubu had initially made a pledge to use military means to send a strong signal to other potential plotters of coups in the region. But the practical difficulties and expense of such an intervention, support from Mali and Burkina Faso for the new regime in Niamey, as well as concern among other Ecowas members, appear to have combined to inspire a new approach.

In his first speech on Thursday, Tinubu stressed diplomatic efforts to placate countries to the north of Niger known to be apprehensive about military intervention, and emphasised a need for a “cohesive and united stance regarding the ongoing circumstances in Niger thus showing a collaborative and concerted approach among African nations”.

Analysts said the credibility of Ecowas had been damaged.

“Tinubu got quite a lot of backlash in his own country and in the region. They don’t want to increase any differences between Ecowas members … and also want to distance themselves from the fact that they put down a deadline that was not very realistic and hasn’t been followed up,” said Nina Wilén, director of the Africa programme at the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels.

The rebellious soldiers in Niger initially claimed they seized power because they could do a better job of protecting the nation from surging jihadi violence, before pivoting to a more populist narrative focused on alleged exploitation of the country’s resources by France, the former colonial power. On Wednesday, they again accused France of trying to destabilise the country, violate its closed airspace and discredit the new regime. France has dismissed the allegations as unfounded.

Most analysts and diplomats have said the takeover resulted from a power struggle between the president and the head of the presidential guard, Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani.

Bazoum, elected in 2021 with a 55% share of votes, moved to marginalise a series of senior officers this year and is thought to have been planning to fire Tchiani.

Western officials, speaking to the AP news agency, claimed that the junta leaders told US under secretary of state Victoria Nuland that they would kill Bazoum if neighbouring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule. The comments were made when Nuland visited the country this week.

The president has been held at the presidential palace in Niamey with his wife and son since the coup.

The US has expressed deep concern for Bazoum after his party said he and his family were running out of food and living under increasingly dire conditions.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Next Post
Russians continue targeting civilians, military movements in Russia and Belarus, near the border with Ukraine and Poland

Ukrainian judiciary: 500 children killed in Russian invasion so far

Don’t miss latest news from our site free!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Recent News

CIVIL: Liberalizing ammunition sales to civilian gun owners – a threat to North Macedonia’s security and international standing

CIVIL: Liberalizing ammunition sales to civilian gun owners – a threat to North Macedonia’s security and international standing

July 30, 2025
Ukraine’s recovery, Europe’s reckoning

Reclaim Power, Demand Accountability, Embrace Dialogue

July 30, 2025
The false claims about the protests in Ukraine and the Serbian-Russian propaganda narratives in the media in North Macedonia

The false claims about the protests in Ukraine and the Serbian-Russian propaganda narratives in the media in North Macedonia

July 29, 2025
Bill #12414: A Blueprint for Sabotaging Ukraine’s Future

Bill #12414: A Blueprint for Sabotaging Ukraine’s Future

July 24, 2025
Deralla for UKRINFORM: Ukraine is the agenda!

Deralla for UKRINFORM: Ukraine is the agenda!

July 22, 2025

[adrotate banner=”3″]

[mc4wp_form id=”21829″]

  • About Theme
  • About us
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • Authors List
  • Blog
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • Civil.Today
  • Contact
  • Contact
  • COOKIE POLICY
  • COPYRIGHT
  • Digital library
  • Edit
  • Edit Profile
  • Forum
  • FullWidth Page
  • Gallery
  • Home
  • Impressum
  • Insert Post
  • My Account
  • Pinterst Style
  • Posts
  • Pricing
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Resilient Journalism Countering Disinformation and Propaganda publication
  • Sample Page
  • Shop
  • ShortCodes
  • Signup Page
  • Sitemap Page
  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • TimeLine Blog
  • Timeline Page
  • Topics
  • Videos

© 2021 CIVIL - Center For Freedom

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWSROOM
  • POLITICS
  • SOCIETY
  • ECONOMY
  • OPINION
    • POINT OF VIEW
    • EDITORIAL
  • WORLD
  • MONITORING
  • WAR IN UKRAINE
  • About us
  • Impressum
  • Contact

© 2021 CIVIL - Center For Freedom