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ECOWAS Military Chiefs Seek Diplomatic Solutions To Niger Situation

Published

2 years ago

August 4, 2023

Editor

ECOWAS defence chiefs on Friday said there should be comprehensive approach that encompasses political, security and diplomatic dimensions in addressing the situation in Niger Republic.

The Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) of Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) countries made this known at the end of their three-day Extra Ordinary Meeting, in Abuja.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff and President of the committee, Gen. Christopher Musa, commended ECOWAS for standing firm for democracy, adding that the militaries of the member countries were firmly in support of their stand.

He said that the committee collectively recognised the gravity of the situation in Niger and the urgent need for a well coordinated response.

Musa added that they also examined the immediate implication of the coup and its potential ripple effects across the ECOWAS region.

“We have also deliberated on the broader implication for democracy, peace and stability in West Africa and pleased to note that our discussions have yielded valuable insights and actionable recommendations.

“We have acknowledged the need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses political, security and diplomatic dimensions.

“It is imperative that we translate our deliberations into concrete actions that effectively address the crisis and prevent a recurrence in the future.

“Democracy is what we stand for and democracy is what we will sustain,” he said.

Musa said the military chiefs agreed that there was no alternative democratic principles and rule of law in the region, adding that the coup in Niger represented blatant disregard for the fundamental principles that underpin regional integration and stability.

“We must condemn such action and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to democracy,” he said, adding that regional security architecture should be strengthened to enhance collective response to security challenges.

According him, the meeting recognised the fact that the coup in Niger highlighted the fragility of the region.

“We must enhance intelligence sharing, joint training exercises and capacity building initiative among our defence and security forces to effectively combat threats to our collective security and enhance interoperability.

“We must intensify our diplomatic efforts to engage with all relevant stakeholders.

“Dialogue and negotiations should be at the forefront of our approach in resolving the crisis in the Republic of Niger.

“We must engage the tranditional authorities, civil society, organisation and all the key actors to foster an inclusive and peaceful transition process,” he said.

The CDS said the meeting urged member states to hasten the implementation of the recommendations and translate them into tangible actions for quick solutions to the situation in Niger.

“Let us seize this opportunity to make a lasting impact and ensure that the Republic of Niger and the entire region can progress on the path of democracy, peace, and stability.

“I urge you all to prioritise the implementation of recommendations that have been put forth during our deliberations.

“This requires a concerted effort and a sense of urgency. We must allocate the necessary resources, engage relevant stakeholders, and monitor progress to ensure that our decisions have a tangible impact on the ground,” he added.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, commended the military chiefs for taking time to produce a concept of operation for an eventual military intervention to restore constitutional order in Niger.

Musah said that all the elements that would go into any intervention had been worked out and were being refined, including the timing, resources needed and how, where and when to deploy such force.

He said that ECOWAS being a rule-based institution was determined to put an end to the military coup contagion in the region.

“But first, we are giving diplomacy every chance to succeed and there have been multiple approaches to the military Junta in Niger.

“The results of whatever has been achieved here will be presented very soon to the Heads of Central Government who will have the last say as to what we are going to do with regard to the situation in the Republic of Niger, provided that all diplomatic overtures do not yield result.

“So I want to, through this medium also appeal to the military in Niger to give peace a chance, and then think about their populations and do the right thing by immediately restoring constitutional order in their country.

“That is our message to them and if they don’t, then we will make them hand over to civilian authorities and that is the determination of ECOWAS and we want to send that message clearly across to all of them,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Kana, said that Nigeria was committed to restoring democracy in Niger, but said military option would be the last resort.

“Military option is the last option but the President has directed us, the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Nigeria to come together with other ECOWAS members,” he said.

Countries represented at the meeting included Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Gambia, Cote Devoir, Cape Verde and Benin while Niger, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso were absent.
(NAN)

Headline

FULL LIST: US To Review Green Cards From 19 ‘Countries Of Concern’ After Washington Shooting

Published

10 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following the attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

U.S. officials identified the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting as a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

The individual was granted asylum earlier this year, not permanent residency, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assists Afghans resettled in the United States after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on X.

The review follows a June executive order from President Trump classifying 19 countries as “of Identified Concern.”

The order banned entry for nearly all nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The full list of these countries is:

Afghanistan

Myanmar

Chad

Congo-Brazzaville

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

A partial travel ban applies to seven additional countries, though some temporary work visas remain allowed: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Headline

Romanian Defence Minister Quits After Admitting Error In Academic Record

Published

11 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Romania’s defence minister resigned on Friday after saying he made a “mistake” on his CV about his university education, as controversy swirled over alleged lies on his resume.

Ionut Mosteanu – who has admitted to writing on his CV that he graduated from a university he never attended – said he did not want the row “to distract” the NATO member at a time when it and Europe are “under attack from Russia”.

Romania has repeatedly seen drone fragments fall on its soil since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and reported a number of drone incursions.

On Tuesday, a drone crashed in eastern Romania, which borders Ukraine.

Romania has also accused Moscow of “hybrid attacks”, including meddling in presidential elections last year that were subsequently annulled.

“Today, I resigned from my position as minister of national defence,” Mosteanu said in a Facebook post, adding he wanted the country to be focused on its “difficult mission”.

“Romania and Europe are under attack from Russia. Our national security must be defended at all costs,” he added.

Mosteanu had come under pressure after a media investigation published on Thursday revealed that he wrote in a CV that he graduated from a university which he did not actually attend.

That same day he apologised for what he called “a mistake”.

“In a CV I quickly put together in 2016 using a template I found online, there is a mistake that I admit embarrasses me. I didn’t pay much attention to these details at the time,” he said on Facebook.

Mosteanu was appointed defence minister in June of this year, when a new pro-European government was formed after months of political turmoil.

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said in a press release that he would propose economy and tourism minister Radu Miruta take over the defence portfolio in the interim.

AFP

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Russia Insists Ukraine Must Cede Land Or Face Continued Military Push

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he would end his Ukraine offensive if Kyiv withdrew from territory Moscow claims at its own — otherwise his army would take it by force.

The Russian army has been slowly but steadily grinding through eastern Ukraine in costly battles against outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces.

Washington has meanwhile renewed its push to end the nearly four-year war, putting forward a surprise plan that it hopes to finalise through upcoming talks with Moscow and Kyiv.

“If Ukrainian forces leave the territories they hold, then we will stop combat operations,” Putin said during a visit to Kyrgyzstan. “If they don’t, then we will achieve it by military means.”

Russia controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. The issue of occupied land, which Kyiv has said it will never cede, is among the biggest stumbling blocks in the peace process.

Another important issue in the talks are Western security guarantees for Ukraine, which Kyiv says are needed to prevent Moscow from invading again in the future.

Washington’s original plan — drafted without input from Ukraine’s European allies — would have seen Kyiv withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognise the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.

The US pared back the original plan over the weekend following criticism from Kyiv and Europe, but has not yet released the new version.

Putin, who has seen the new plan, said it could be a negotiation starter.

“Overall, we agree that it could form the basis for future agreements,” he said of the latest draft, which the US is thought to have shortened to about 20 points.

US negotiator Steve Witkoff was expected in Moscow next week to discuss the revised document, Putin said.

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is meanwhile due to visit Kyiv later this week, Ukraine’s top presidential aide Andriy Yermak said.

– ‘Little can be done’ –

In his remarks Thursday, Putin repeated the claim that Russia had encircled the Ukrainian army in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region — the most fiercely embattled area and a key target for Moscow’s forces.

“Krasnoarmeysk and Dimitrov are completely surrounded,” he said, using the Russian names for the cities.

Moscow was also advancing in Vovchansk and Siversk, as well as approaching the important logistic hub of Guliaipole, he added.

The Russian offensive “is practically impossible to hold back, so there is little that can be done about it”, Putin said.

Ukraine has denied Pokrovsk and Myrnograd are encircled, insisting its forces continue to hold the enemy along the front line.

Putin also questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy and said signing any agreement with him would be legally “almost impossible” at the moment, a suggestion that has drawn groans from Kyiv and its allies.

According to data analysed by AFP from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have conquered an average of 467 square kilometres (180 square miles) each month in 2025 — a step up from 2024.

Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the worst armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes.