ECOWAS delegation meets Niger coup leaders for peace talks

The special delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has met with the coup leaders of Niger Republic.

 

The delegation arrived in Niger Republic on Thursday.

After suggesting an invasion in the seven-day ultimatum earlier issued, President Bola Tinubu, who is Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, has resolved to negotiation, sending a high-level delegation to Niger in an effort to end the current political impasse in the  Republic as soon as possible.

The president’s action is in accordance with the decision made at the ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit that was held in Abuja over the past weekend.

The delegation, led by former Nigerian Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), left for Niamey on Thursday after receiving a briefing from President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, according to a press release issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Omar Alieu Touray, will be travelling with General Abubakar on this mission.

President Tinubu also sent a separate delegation, led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, to speak with the leaders of Libya and Algeria about the Niger crisis. The delegation’s message to them was that the Niger crisis must be resolved peacefully rather than by adopting the geopolitical stances of other countries.

During the briefing, President Tinubu instructed both delegations to engage all parties in Niger firmly in order to reach a final and amicable resolution to the situation.

The President emphasised that democracy and regional peace were their top priorities.

“We don’t want to keep anyone waiting. President Tinubu stated, “Democracy and regional peace are our concerns.”

General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) announced after the meeting that the delegation intended to meet with the perpetrators of the recent coup in Niger and make its demands known in an effort to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

As they began their diplomatic efforts to promote communication and bring stability to Niger, both mission leaders expressed strong beliefs about the results of their assignments.