Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno traveled to the Nigerien capital on July 30 the day after the coup that overthrew Mohamed Bazoum. Update on his stay in Niamey.
According to our colleagues from Airinfoagadez, the Chadian president first discussed at length with General Salifou Modi, member of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP), before going to the Presidency of the Republic to meet General Abdourahamane Tchani, head of the CNSP.
After this step, the mediator Mahamat Idriss Déby met and exchanged with the ousted president Mohamed Bazoum. Later at 7 p.m., he met Niger’s former head of state, Issoufou Mahamadou.
For the time being, no information has come out of this stay of the Chadian President on Niger soil.
Mahamat Idriss Deby was accompanied by his director of civil cabinet Idriss Youssouf and the minister of communication and spokesperson for the Chadian government, Aziz Mahamat Saleh.
ECOWAS pressure
Gathered in an extraordinary summit on July 30, 2023 in Abuja, the ECOWAS Heads of State recalled the principle of Zero Tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government, as enshrined in the ECOWAS and African Union Protocols and other instruments.
To this end, the Institution decides the following:
Affirms that Mohamed Bazoum remains the legitimate elected Head of State of the Republic of Niger, recognized by ECOWAS, the African Union and the international community. In this regard, only the official acts of the deposed President or his duly authorized executives will be recognized by ECOWAS. Condemns in the strongest terms the attempt to overthrow the constitutional order in Niger and the illegal detention of His Excellency President Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Head of State of Niger, as well as members of his family and his government; Demands the immediate release of His Excellency Mohamed Bazoum and his reinstatement as President of the Republic, Head of State, as well as the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger; Rejects any form of alleged resignation attributed to HE President Mohamed Bazoum; Considers the illegal detention of President Mohamed Bazoum as hostage-taking and holds the perpetrators of the coup attempt responsible for the safety and physical integrity of His Excellency the President, as well as members of his family and its government; Take all necessary measures, in the event that the demands of the Conference are not met within one week, to ensure the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of the Niger, of. Such measures may include the use of force. To this end, the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defense should meet immediately; Demands accountability from those responsible for violence and terror, having committed acts that have resulted in loss of life and destruction of property of innocent citizens and residents; Condemns statements of support from foreign governments and foreign private military organizations; Expresses its thanks to the various governments and partners for their position and their solidarity with ECOWAS; Appoint a special representative of the President of the Conference, who will be immediately dispatched to Niger, carrying a message containing the demands of the Conference; In the meantime, the following measures will be applied, with immediate effect: Closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger; Establishment of an ECOWAS exclusion zone for all commercial flights to or from Niger; Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger; Freezing of all service transactions, including utilities; Freezing of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS central banks; Freezing of the assets of the State of Niger, as well as public and parastatal companies housed in commercial banks; Suspension of Niger from all forms of financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, in particular EBID and BOAD; Travel ban and freezing of assets of military officers involved in the coup attempt. This measure also applies to members of their families and to civilians agreeing to appear in any institution or any government to be set up by these military officers. Launch of an appeal to WAEMU and all other regional organizations for the implementation of this decision.
Atha Assan