ECOWAS call for UN support to invade Niger is a smokescreen
By Daily Tab24. Updated: 2:05 pm. Aug 12, 2023.
Reading out the communiqué of their second meeting; ECOWAS ”Further call on all partner countries and institutions, including the United Nations, to support ECOWAS in its efforts to ensure quick restoration of constitutional order, in conformity with its normative instruments” number 10 of ‘h’ of the communiqué read.
ECOWAS is hell bent on invading Niger to pass a message of deterrent to prospective coupists. Analysts have said that the coup in Niger happened because of the passive or non-deterrent actions of ECOWAS to the coups in Mali and Burkina Faso. They opined that to discourage or put a stop to incessant coups in Africa, especially West Africa, the bloc leadership must rise to the occasion and pass a crystal clear message of rejection.
The intended military intervention in Niger is not necessarily because the people of Niger are not happy with the coup or want restoration of the deposed elected President, but ECOWAS don’t put that into consideration – but to protect other governments and show prospective coupists that they won’t succeed even if their coups succeeded. Determined and ready to restore the pro-western government of Basoum, ECOWAS call on UN and other countries for help.
UN had said their position is peace and dialogue. Calling on UN is a smokescreen from ECOWAS, according to Daily Tab24 African Affair analyst following the development in Niger. “What will UN do for ECOWAS, Russia is there, Mali, Burkina Faso and other countries whose interest clashed with ECOWAS. UN cannot do anything except call for peace and dialogue, which ECOWAS appeared to have rejected” he said.
Whose interest was affected by the coup in Niger will bear the cost of whatsoever eventually happened to restore the deposed leader of Niger. Nigeriens had been protesting against what they termed “external interference in their internal affair” and vowed to stop it. It is still unclear if military intervention being mauled by ECOWAS would lead to civil war in Niger, which is most likely to be the case should the citizens of Niger resist ECOMOG.
“There is undertone move here; the people affected by this coup are those mining the uranium and not United Nations. There is no justification on the side of United Nations to push for conflict – a military intervention is not what United Nations want. They already have Sudan conflict and mauling the lack of funds to address the needs of displaced people” our Analyst opined.
France is the major recipient of the uranium mined in Niger and over the years they have played the role of neo-colonial masters with their military base stationed in Niamey. France had previously warned that they would protect their interests and properties in Niger, a warning issued in response to the attack on their embassy.
“France is pushing for the military intervention and would fund ECOWAS. When European interest is at stake, US will definitely support them, but it falls largely on France to attract US and other countries to fund ECOWAS’ mission to restore the pro-France government of Basoum” he concluded.
