In Niger, what future for former president Mohamed Bazoum? He remains detained by the junta since the July 2023 coup that toppled him. ECOWAS, during its summit this weekend, no longer linked the lifting of sanctions to his release. But the organization entrusted the file to a troika made up of Benin, Togo and Sierra Leone.
2 mins
With our regional correspondent, Serge Daniel
During the last summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, Nigeria, two gestures were probably appreciated in Niamey. Supporters of the former president Mohamed Bazoum were not this time authorized to occupy the official seat of Niger, and in the resolutions, the lifting of sanctions against Niamey was not linked to the release of overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum. The ground was therefore rather marked out for the Troika made up of representatives of Benin, Togo and Sierra Leone.
According to our information, a future visit by these ECOWAS envoys to the Nigerien capital is planned. It could be preceded by that of a group of Nigerian senators from the north of their country. The latter, whose region borders Niger, weighed in the balance to prevent military intervention against their neighbor. They can therefore also prepare the ground for the envoys of the regional organization.
Togo, leader of this Troika, is already bringing a personal touch to the matter, thanks to its intervention, the Nigerien junta has released last January the son of President Mohamed Bazoum who currently lives in Lomé. In the Togolese capital, people are rather optimistic about future negotiations in order to achieve a possible release of the former Nigerien president who has been arrested for seven months.
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