By John Ikani
The upcoming summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), grappling with a series of recent military coups, is slated for December 10 in Abuja, as announced by the Côte d’Ivoire presidency on Thursday.
“The next ordinary summit” of ECOWAS “will take place on December 10 in Abuja,” the Nigerian capital, stated a press release from the presidency after a meeting in Abidjan between Ivorian head of state Alassane Ouattara and Ecowas commission president Omar Alieu Touray.
The previous summit, held in early August, primarily focused on the situation in Niger following the military coup on July 26 that ousted elected president Mohamed Bazoum. President Bazoum has been confined to his residence in Niamey since then.
Heads of State had initially considered military intervention to reinstate President Bazoum and imposed significant economic and financial sanctions on Niger, currently governed by a military regime led by General Abdourahamane Tiani.
“I wouldn’t say we’ve given up the military option. We have suspended it while waiting for the sanctions to produce results,” stated Abdel-Fatau Musah, Ecowas Commissioner for Political Affairs, in a Thursday interview on the Jeune Afrique website.
Regarding General Tiani’s proposed three-year transition period before a return to constitutional order, Musah emphasized, “Many things are negotiable, but under no circumstances will we accept a three-year transition.”
“In any case, dialogue has broken down for the time being. We have tried to meet (the Niger leaders) and talk to them. They refuse,” he added.
Among the fifteen Ecowas member countries, four have experienced military coups since 2020: Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea. These nations have been suspended from the organization and will not be represented at the Abuja summit.
The first three countries, grappling with jihadist violence, have established an Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
In Sierra Leone, another Ecowas member, an attempted coup claimed the lives of 21 people on Sunday, according to senior officials in that country.
