Niger: Expectation as Coup Leaders Agree to Dialogue

It has been 19 days since the military took over the government in Niger, with Presidential Guard Commander, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, proclaiming himself the leader of the country.

Development Diaries reports that after several attempts at dialogue, Tchiani has finally agreed to explore diplomacy and peace in resolving the matter.

It is understood that the coup leader and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have agreed to intensify the option of dialogue in resolving the political crisis in the country.

The option of dialogue seems to be the only reasonable option because the country is already immersed in crisis which has affected its development.

Already, two jihadist uprisings are being fought in Niger: one in the southeast, which is a spillover from the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, and another in the southwest, which is close to Mali.

United Nations figures show that more than 370,000 men, women and children are displaced within Niger.

Also, Niger hosts more than 250,000 refugees, mainly from Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso.

There are currently 4.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the country, according to figures from the UN.

No doubt, the development and daily lives of Niger’s civilian population are being severely hampered by the government’s repeated, unconstitutional changes.

Following the coup, there is a significant likelihood of domestic unrest and regional conflict, a rise in militant activity, a reversal of democratic progress and a limitation of civil freedoms, as well as serious socioeconomic repercussions because of ECOWAS sanctions.

It should be noted, however, that General Tchiani said it was painful to the coup leaders that the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government did not hear their side of the matter before issuing an ultimatum to them to restore constitutional order in the country.

Development Diaries welcomes the readiness of the coup leaders to dialogue with ECOWAS as the use of military force to restore democracy in the country could worsen Niger’s humanitarian situation.

We now call on ECOWAS and the coup leaders to make use of this window of dialogue to prioritise diplomacy above every other crisis-resolution option.

Photo source: Balima Boureima/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

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