The second extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has started at the presidential villa, Abuja, with its Chairman, President Bola Tinubu, calling on his counterparts to prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue to convince the coup leaders in Niger Republic to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The meeting was summoned to deliberate on the socio-political situation in the country where the regional body has sought to pressure the military to return to constitutional order.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, President Tinubu noted that ECOWAS had called on the junta to rescind its decision to topple a legitimate government and proceeded to impose sanctions with the hope that “this resolute measure would serve as a catalyst for the restoration of the constitutional order in Niger.”
He said Thursday’s summit provides a significant opportunity to meticulously review and assess the progress made since the leaders’ last gathering.He stressed the need to evaluate the effectiveness of the regional interventions and identify any gaps or challenges that may have hindered progress.
According to him, only through this comprehensive assessment can ECOWAS collectively chart a sustainable path toward lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in Niger.