The West African regional bloc ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States), which had threatened to use force against Niger in response to a recent coup, is now quietly demobilizing the standby forces that had been positioned for a proposed military intervention, according to French news outlet RFI.
A meeting of ECOWAS military commanders was scheduled to be held in Nigeria’s Sokoto State this week. However, it was reportedly canceled due to organizational issues. The military officers arrived in Abuja, the capital of Africa’s most populous nation and the headquarters of the regional bloc, but did not proceed to Sokoto, RFI reported on Friday.
The demobilization order was expected to be issued during the meeting but, following its cancellation, ECOWAS will now be “very discreet” in withdrawing the standby troops, a source told the French broadcaster.
ECOWAS has two options, the source added: “Say nothing and let it be seen,” or “turn around.”
The decision was made because “no one is opting for military intervention anymore,” RFI quoted a diplomat from one of the 15 ECOWAS member states as saying.
The bloc announced in August that it had set a date for sending troops into Niger if diplomatic efforts to restore the rule of President Mohamed Bazoum, who was deposed on July 26, failed. The regional authority had previously issued an ultimatum to Niamey’s new military rulers, which had expired with Bazoum still detained.
Niger’s neighbors – Nigeria, Benin and the Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) – had earlier expressed willingness to contribute troops to the bloc’s armed mission to restore democratic order in Niger.
However, the countries that contributed troops for the mission are said to have released them and paid them planned bonuses. Beninese soldiers stationed on the Nigerien border in the north following the July power grab, which the US labeled a coup this month, have returned to their barracks, according to the report.
Last month, Niger’s coup leaders announced the termination of a military cooperation agreement with Benin, accusing their West African neighbor of supporting an imminent cross-border invasion. The military authorities claimed that the Beninese government had authorized the deployment of troops and war materials in support of a “aggression desired by France” and ECOWAS against Niger.
Paris, which has been forced to cut ties with the new Nigerien authorities, had declared its backing for ECOWAS military action against the coup leaders, while denying claims that it planned to invade its former colony to free the ousted Bazoum.
The military governments of Mali and Burkina Faso have cautioned against military intervention in Niger, which they have threatened to consider an act of aggression against their own countries.
In September, the three former French colonies formed a military alliance and agreed to assist each other, individually or collectively, in the event of external aggression or internal threats to their sovereignty.