African nation passes bill to send troops to Niger
Burkina Faso’s ministerial council approved a bill on Wednesday authorizing the government to send a military contingent to defend Niger, in the event that the coup leaders in Niamey come under attack.
The move is in line with Burkina Faso’s “strategic commitments,” the council said in a statement late on Wednesday, published by the Burkina Faso Information Agency.
“This commitment is made to prevent and lead our fight against terrorism as best as possible,” Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly stated, adding that “what affects the security of Niger fundamentally affects the security of Burkina Faso.”
The military governments of Burkina Faso and Mali have pledged their support for Niger’s new rulers, who seized power in a coup last month and have placed President Mohamed Bazoum and his family under house arrest.
Bamako and Ouagadougou have since vowed to defend Niamey's coup leaders from any armed action by the West African regional authority, ECOWAS.
The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc has insisted on using diplomatic means to resolve the crisis, but it has declared a “D-Day” to send troops into Niger if the coup leaders continue to refuse negotiations.
Last week, the Sahel nation’s new authorities signed an order to permit the defense and security forces of Burkina Faso and Mali to intervene on its territory in the event of an attack.
The foreign ministries of the three former French colonies also announced the establishment of a consultation framework and a joint secretariat to coordinate responses to security challenges.
