Coup: Niger declines to meet with UN, AU, ECOWAS delegates

The African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations (UN) jointly sent a delegation to Niger, who requested a meeting but the Niger government rejected their request on Monday.

The delegates were supposed to arrive in Niamey on August 8 via a special flight that the United Nations had chartered, according to the memo.

The trio allegedly collaborated to write a memo notifying the Niger authorities of the mission planned for today (Tuesday), which Gistlover has seen and that is signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Niger. The Nigerien government said that based on ECOWAS sanction ordering member states to shut their border with Niger, “organisation of such a mission by special flight requires special consideration by the Niger authorities, including a special exemption which is not invoked in this note from the Resident Representation.”

 “While reiterating their readiness to engage in discussions with delegations or emissaries concerning the situation in Niger, as indicated to the mission led by the former President of Nigeria, GI (er) Abdulsalami Abubakar, the current context of anger and revolt of the populations following the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, does not allow to welcome the said delegation in the required serenity and security,” it said.

The mission must be delayed as a result of the aforementioned, according to the Niger authorities, who also said that some aspects of the program need to be revised. This includes meetings with specific individuals, which, given the threat of aggression against Niger, they claimed cannot take place due to security concerns.