ECOWAS military chiefs to meet in Ghana Thursday, Friday to discuss Niger crisis

Military chiefs from the West African bloc ECOWAS are set to meet Thursday and Friday in Accra, Ghana, to discuss a possible military intervention in Niger, one week after leaders approved deployment of a “standby force”.

The meeting was originally slated for Saturday August 12 but has been postponed amid diplomatic efforts to bring new Niger leaders to restore democratic order and release deposed leader Mohamed Bazoum.

The ECOWAS leaders had met in Abuja earlier to push for a diplomatic solution while also demanding the deployment of a standby force.

The Junta is Niger slammed the decision and announced plans to try Bazoum “for high treason”.

As the military Chiefs gear up for the meeting, Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation with his Malian counterpart Assimi Goita, has stressed the importance of resolving the Niger crisis by diplomatic means.

Mali and Burkina Faso, two Russia’s key allies in Africa, have vowed to side with Niger should the regional bloc conduct a military intervention.