Niger coup: Military leader Gen. Tchiani speaks of three-year transition, as junta digs in
Niamey, Niger (PANA) - Niger's military junta is digging in even after meeting a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niamey on Saturday to demand the restoration of constitutional rule after the 26 July coup that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum.
France 24, a French news outlet, reported that General Abdourahamane Tchiani said in an address on national television on Saturday night that they were proposing a three-year transition to civilian rule.
He said neither the ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) nor the people of Niger wanted war, and remained open to dialogue.
Gen. Tchiani, appearing to follow the steps of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, who have also toppled their elected leaders, said details of the transition would be decided within 30 days at a dialogue to be organized by the junta.
“I reaffirm here that our ambition is not to confiscate power. I also reaffirm our readiness to engage in any dialogue, as long as it takes into account the orientations desired by the proud and resilient people of Niger,” Gen. Tchiani added.
The CNSP has appointed a prime minister, a cabinet and various officials as the population organises demosntrations of support for the coup.
The ECOWAS mission, headed by former Nigerian leader, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, went to Niamey after the military leaders appeared to have softened their position once again, saying that they were ready for dialogue.
They arrived a day after ECOWAS Chiefs of the Defence Staff announced after their two-day meeting in Accra that they had finalized their plan to deploy a standby force to move into Niger as demanded by the heads of state on 10 August.
Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, told a press conference in Accra on Friday that all options, including diplomacy, were still on the table.
He said the junta said it was willing to talk.
Ambassador Musah announced that an ECOWAS mission would go to Niger on Saturday to pursue the peaceful path, but warned: "We are not going to be banging on the door when they continue to slam it on us. If all peaceful overtures fail, then we will go for the military option and it will be surgical and short lived."
"We are ready to go any time the order (by the heads of state) is given. The D-Day is also decided but we are not going to disclose it."
But Gen. Tchiani, in a direct response to the outcome of the ECOWAS Chief of Defence Staff meeting, warned that such a military action would "not be the walk in the park".
Mali and Burkina Faso have vowed that they would join Niger in resisting such an attack.
The ECOWAS delegation also separately met the prime minister appointed by the CNSP, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, as well as ousted President Bazoum.
The leader of the ECOWAS delegation, Gen. Abubakar, sees the developments on Saturday as opening discussions for a resolution of the crisis.
Meanwhile, the UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simao, also arrived on Friday for talks with the junta.
The new US ambassador to Niger, Kathleen FitzGibbon, also arrived in Niger on Saturday.
A statement from the Office of the US Department of State on Saturday said: "At the direction of Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon has travelled to Niamey to lead our diplomatic mission in Niger and bolster efforts to help resolve the political crisis at this critical time."
It said as a career senior diplomat with significant experience specializing in West Africa, "she is uniquely positioned to lead U.S. government efforts in support of the American community and the preservation of Niger’s hard-earned democracy".
The US said the arrival of the ambassador did not reflect "any change in our policy position", but responds to the need for senior leadership of our mission at a challenging time.
It said her diplomatic focus would be "to advocate for a diplomatic solution that preserves constitutional order in Niger and for the immediate release of President Bazoum, his family, and all those unlawfully detained".
ECOWAS has imposed stiff political and financial sanctions that are biting deep, with Gen. Tchiani describing them as illegal.
They include a no-fly zone and suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between member states and Niger.
Others are freeze of all service transaction including utility services; freeze of assets of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks; freeze of assets of the Niger State and the State Enterprises and Parastatals in Commercial Banks; suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and West African Development Bank (BOAD).
Statistics show that Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries with more than 10 million people (over 40% of the population) living in extreme poverty.
Opinion is divided on the military option with the warning that the deployment by ECOWAS of its standby force would create serious social, economic and political challenges for the country and the sub-region.
-0- PANA MA/RA 20Aug2023
