2023-08-02 12:54:34
With our regional correspondent, Serge Daniel
The meeting of chiefs of staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) begins this Wednesday, August 2 in Abuja, capital of Nigeria. For three days, they will work on a plan for a possible military intervention in Niger following the coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
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In order not to miss the meeting, some Chiefs of Staff arrived in Abuja by special flight. Shortly before work began, a witness heard Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, say: ” If we can finish the meeting even before Friday, we will. »
No option decided for the moment
From a source close to the meeting, the military experts will find a document on the table: the studies launched almost a month ago to set up the anti-terrorist component of the ECOWAS standby force. They will draw valuable information from it and identify the strategy to adopt on the ground for a possible intervention.
No option has been decided for the moment, but a source close to the meeting explains that, in the event of an intervention, we would not necessarily speak of a large-scale deployment. This might initially be targeted interventions.
Then, we would have to free up the resources. At this stage, we are talking regarding a large part of the financing which will be internal. As for the men mobilized, Nigeria would be ready to provide the bulk of the troops. For the moment, we are not talking regarding foreign troops at ECOWAS, but a possible international cooperation in terms of intelligence. Remains the date of the possible intervention. ” Politics will decide », Says an official source in the sub-regional organization.
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