The West African community of states Ecowas is putting together an intervention force for an operation against the putschists in Niger. Many people in the country worry about the food shortage.
The West African community of states Ecowas has instructed its military chiefs to “immediately” put together an intervention force for a possible deployment in Niger. After the military coup in the country, it is about restoring the constitutional order, said Omar Touray, President of the Ecowas Commission, after a summit of heads of state in Nigeria’s capital Abuja.
The international community keeps “all options” open. However, the priority is to restore the constitutional order by peaceful means, he said.
In his closing speech at the summit, the president of the regional heavyweight Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, had once again called for a peaceful solution to the conflict with the military junta. At the same time he emphasized: “No option is taken off the table. This also applies to the use of force. As a last resort.”
In Niger, the military took power on July 26, suspended the constitution and arrested the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. Ecowas imposed sanctions on Niger on July 30, demanded that the putschists restore the constitution and threatened violence if they did not.
Military junta appoints new cabinet of ministers
Meanwhile, the junta in Niger has formed a military-civilian government. This was announced by a spokesman for the new rulers on national television. Accordingly, 21 ministerial posts were filled, while the areas of defense and security remained in military hands.
General Salifou Mody is the new defense minister. Mody is considered number two in Niger after de facto President Tiani. Mody was military attaché at the Nigerien embassy in Berlin until 2019. The junta had already declared the economist Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine as the country’s new prime minister on Tuesday night.
Hunger crisis in Niger worsens
A good two weeks after the military coup, the aid organization Action Against Hunger resumed its humanitarian aid in Niger. “Child malnutrition is increasing dramatically,” said Helene Mutschler, managing director of Action Against Hunger. More than four million people are dependent on humanitarian aid, most of them women and children. “It is all the more important that our teams in Niger can fully resume the aid measures,” said Mutschler.
The head of Welthungerhilfe in Niger, Jameson Gadzirai, had previously warned of a food crisis in the West African country. Gadzirai told the editorial network Germany on Thursday that the price of a 50-kilogram sack of rice had risen by almost 50 percent as a result of the conflict, and the price of oil by 20 percent.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
