Niger coup supporters protest near French military base as ECOWAS suspends meeting

Thousands of supporters of Niger’s junta rallied near a French military base on Friday to protest plans by West African bloc ECOWAS to deploy an armed force to the country.

Chiefs of staff from member states of the West African bloc had been set to attend a meeting on Saturday in Ghana’s capital Accra, regional military sources had said on Friday.

But they later said the meeting had been suspended indefinitely for “technical reasons”.

The sources said the meeting was originally set up to inform the organization’s leaders about “the best options” for activating and deploying the standby force.

Widespread protests against military intervention in Niger and accusations that forces outside Africa Continent are behind ECOWAS’ proposal to try to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum by force could have contributed to the regional bloc’s decision to postpone the key meeting.

Diplomatic sources have also suggested that ECOWAS could try to request EU financing to help bring together a military force for its proposed intervention in Niger.

ECOWAS had approved a “standby force” to try to reinstate elected President Mohamed Bazoum, with the EU’s top diplomat expressing concern about his conditions in detention since he was ousted by members of his guard on July 26.

(France 24)