D-day for Standby force to Niger is decided – ECOWAS

The D-day for the activation of Economic Community for West Africa States (ECOWAS) Standby force to Niger has been decided.

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah announced this to the media in Accra on Friday, but did not give the specific date.

He said the standby forces are ready to go anytime the order is given by the Head of the Authority.

He told the media after a 2-day
a two-day extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff on the deployment of the standby force to Niger that the D-day will not be disclosed.

According to him, CDS from the 10 of 15 countries present at the meeting agreed on the strategic capacity and objectives, and the equipment needed for the deployment.

He said the commitment of the member states was very encouraging, reiterating: “All member states of ECOWAS present here today have all committed elements.

They member states have committed their own equipment and they have committed their own resources to undertake this mission.”

Ambassador Musah explained that the mission was to restore constitutional order but not declaration of war on Niger, and refocus the objective of military, to protect territorial integrity and security.

He added that since the coup last month, there has been an uptick in terrorists’ attack in the landlocked country, giving rise to insecurity even among ethnic groups.

The commissioner stated while all options are available on the table including dialogue, they are not going to engage in endless dialogue.

“We are not going to engage in endless dialogue, it must be fruitful and it’s aims and objectives must be restoration of constitutional order in the shortest possible time,” he stated.