West Africa’s ECOWAS bloc aims to send a parliamentary committee to Niger to meet coup leaders who seized power last month and have resisted diplomatic pressure to restore civilian rule, a parliament spokesperson said on Saturday.
Niger’s military last month imprisoned President Mohamed Bazoum and dissolved the elected government, drawing condemnation from regional powers who have activated a standby military force they say will be deployed as a last resort if talks fail. But coup leaders, headed by General Abdourahamane Tiani, have rebuffed diplomatic efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United States and others, raising the spectre of further conflict in the impoverished Sahel region of West Africa, which is already overrun by a deadly Islamist insurgency.
At stake is not just the fate of Niger - a major uranium producer and Western ally in the fight against the Islamists - but also the influence of rival global powers with strategic interests in West and Central Africa, where there have been seven coups in three years.
US, French, German and Italian troops are stationed in Niger. Meanwhile, Russian influence has grown as insecurity increases, democracy erodes, and leaders
seek new partners to restore order. (Agencies)
