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From left; President of the ECOWAS Commission Mousa Tourey, ECOWAS Special Envoy to Republic of Niger General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Niger's ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar III, pose in Niamey, Niger, August 19, 2023. /CFP
West Africa's main regional bloc, ECOWAS, has rejected a proposal by Niger's military junta to hold elections within three years, extending a political impasse that could trigger a military intervention if no agreement is reached following a July coup.
ECOWAS and other international powers have been seeking diplomatic solutions to the July 26 putsch in Niger, the seventh in West and Central Africa in three years.
But after several attempts for dialogue were rejected, the bloc activated a regional force that military heads have said is ready to deploy if talks fail.
It doubled down on its threat on Friday, one day before the junta eventually agreed to meet an ECOWAS delegation in the capital Niamey, suggesting new willingness to cooperate.
In a televised address to the nation on Saturday evening, junta leader General Abdourahamane Tchiani said coup leaders remained open to dialogue.
But he also said the junta would consult on a transition back to democracy within three years, echoing lengthy timelines proposed by other coup leaders in the region.
ECOWAS Commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah told Reuters on Monday that the bloc's position remained clear.
"Release Bazoum without preconditions, restore constitutional order without further delay," he said, referring to Niger's ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum. He spoke via WhatsApp in response to a query about the proposed elections delay.
The outcome of "ongoing informal discussions" would determine whether ECOWAS would send another mediation mission to Niger, he added.
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Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466