Niger River Warns ECOWAS Hawks
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its progenitor, the African Union (AU), ought to tread carefully regarding how they perceive, approach and respond to the events unfolding in Niger. The decision to impose heavy and punitive economic sanctions on Niger, with such astonishing speed and enthusiasm, was unfortunate, to put it mildly. For ECOWAS to declare a war on Niamey, coupled with incessant and cacophonous threats of an imminent and overwhelming invasion, seems beyond comprehension. What exactly do ECOWAS and AU want to achieve in Niger? At what cost? And in whose best interest? The official statements issued by ECOWAS, and supported by the AU, mention a number of demands, including: categorical rejection of the method in which power changed hands in Niger, immediate and unconditional release of President Mohamed Bazoum, restoration of civilian rule, and denunciation of all forms of external intervention. Some of these could be achieved relatively quickly