Niger Coup: ECOWAS Activates Stand By Force For Possible Intervention

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The Facts

  • The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday ordered the activation of its standby force to possibly take action against the military junta that overthrew the country's democratically elected leader in July.

  • Following an ECOWAS summit in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday, the country's President Bola Tinubu, who chairs the West African regional bloc, said that "no option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort."

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The Spin

Narrative A

ECOWAS' mixed messages between diplomacy and military action will do little to resolve the crisis in Niger and restore the democratically elected government. This is bad news for the entire region and the wider global community, as Niger is central to Western development and counterterrorism efforts throughout the Sahel. Given that the junta has rejected international mediation efforts, the Sahel faces a turbulent future, made worse by ECOWAS's loss of credibility.

Guardian

Narrative B

ECOWAS's efforts to resolve the conflict in Niger resemble a balancing act for which there is no easy solution. ECOWAS needs to intervene to stand up for its values, but that intervention shouldn't be based on military action, given the incalculable consequences of a military conflict for the entire region. While it may not have closed the door to the use of force, the bloc is rightly prioritizing diplomacy and the peaceful resolution of differences.

Daily Trust

Metaculus Prediction