The African Union has taken the step of immediately suspending Niger from its continental membership, marking another in a series of penalties imposed on the West African nation since the coup that occurred last month. This resolution was officially declared on Tuesday following a meeting convened by the AU's Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital.
This latest action comes in the wake of numerous Western nations opting to halt financial assistance to Niger as a direct response to the July 26th coup, which saw President Mohamed Bazoum being ousted from power. Subsequent to this overthrow, President Bazoum has been held in confinement at his residence, a move orchestrated by members of his own presidential guard.
In addition to the African Union's decision, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has also implemented punitive measures. Just last week, ECOWAS established a designated commencement date for a potential military intervention, leveraging a regional strike force that had already been activated.
Despite this, ECOWAS has emphasized that military force remains a last resort, only to be considered after all diplomatic avenues for negotiation have been exhausted. On a recent occasion, ECOWAS rejected a proposal from Niger's military-led government, which suggested holding elections over a span of three years.
In contrast, the African Union is in the process of reviewing ECOWAS's outlined strategy. It has issued a call to all of its member states and the global community, urging them not to take any steps that could lend legitimacy to Niger's military administration. The AU's statement further affirmed its commitment to rejecting any external interference in the continent's affairs, explicitly mentioning the exclusion of private military entities.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
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