Defence chiefs from Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, will convene in Abuja, Nigeria for a two-day meeting starting Wednesday to address last week’s coup in Niger.
The announcement is contained on the regional bloc’s Twitter handle on Tuesday.
On Sunday, leaders of the West Africa’s regional bloc imposed sanctions on Niger and issued a warning of potential force, granting the junta a one-week ultimatum to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to power.
The regional bloc said it would “take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order” if its demands were not met within a week.
This is the first time ECOWAS has threatened military action to reverse the coups that have taken place in the region in recent years.
It last sanctioned military intervention in 2017, when Senegalese troops were deployed to The Gambia to force long-serving ruler Yahya Jammeh to leave office after he refused to accept defeat in elections.
In an earlier statement, the junta expressed its opposition to any aggression against Niger by regional or Western nations.
Ahead of their meeting, Gen. Tchiani warned ECOWAS and unnamed Western nations against stepping in.
“We once again reiterate to ECOWAS or any other adventurer, our firm determination to defend our fatherland,” the statement said.
Simultaneously, hundreds of coup supporters held protests outside the French embassy in the capital, Niamey.
RN
