Niger Republic waits for response or accompanied action from disobeying order
After the deadline passed on Sunday, no foreign soldiers were observable in the city of Niamey, but the ECOWAS regional bloc has not yet made a statement in response to the coup leaders' defiance.
An quick military operation to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum is not planned at this time, according to a source close to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
But the source also said that as countries like Italy and Germany advocated in favour of a diplomatic solution in the troubled west African nation, a summit of its member countries' leaders may be held in the upcoming days to deliberate on next moves.
In order to express "solidarity (with) the people of Niger," neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which have been expelled from the West African ECOWAS bloc due to their own military takeovers, are sending a joint formal mission to Niamey.
They have said that using military force would be the same as declaring war.
According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, Niger's military authorities have blocked the country's airspace, and on Monday, the skies were devoid of aircraft.
Germany and Italy have pushed ECOWAS to extend the deadline and seek a diplomatic resolution.
"We support ECOWAS in its ongoing mediation efforts," a spokesman for the foreign ministry said during a press conference.
The long land border between Niger and Algeria has also issued warnings that would turn a direct threat to Algeria.
Senators from Nigeria, whose president is presently the head of ECOWAS, urged everyone to concentrate on the "political and diplomatic option".
The Sahel nation's military leaders closed Niger's airspace just before the deadline on Sunday came to an end and threatened anyone trying to enter with a "energetic and immediate response."
Without naming them, they said that two Central African nations had undertaken a "pre-deployment in preparation for intervention," and they issued a warning that any state participating would be viewed as a co-belligerent.
France, a former colonial power with which the current government of Niger has severed military links, declared that it would "firmly" support any steps ECOWAS decided after the deadline had passed.
An quick military action to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum is not being considered at this time, according to a source close to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
But as states like Italy and Germany advocated in favour of a diplomatic solution in the troubled west African nation, the source added, a summit of its member countries' leaders may be held in the coming days to deliberate on next measures.
In order to express "solidarity (with) the people of Niger," neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which have been expelled from the West African ECOWAS bloc due to their own military takeovers, are sending a joint formal mission to Niamey.
They have said that using military force would be the same as declaring war.
Military authorities in Niger have ceased. According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, the country's airspace and sky were free of aircraft on Monday.
Germany and Italy have pushed ECOWAS to extend the deadline and seek a diplomatic resolution.
“We continue to support ECOWAS's mediation efforts," a foreign ministry spokesman said during a press conference.
Algeria, which shares a lengthy border with Niger, has also warned against a military option, calling it a "direct threat to Algeria."
Nigerian senators, whose president presently serves as ECOWAS chairman, urged everyone to focus on the "political and diplomatic option."
Niger's military rulers closed the Sahel country's airspace just before the deadline expired on Sunday, warning of a "energetic and immediate response" to any attempt to enter it.
They stated that two Central African countries had undertaken a "pre-deployment in preparation for intervention," without naming them, and warned that "any state involved will be considered co-belligerent."
Former colonial power France, with which Niger's new authorities have severed military links, has stated that it will "firmly" support whatever action ECOWAS takes once the deadline expires.
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