Leaders of a West African bloc have began a second extraordinary meeting in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Thursday to discuss the coup crisis in Niger.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the current chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc said the meeting will be a ''defining moment'' to look at solutions to restore the constitutional government in Niger.
“It is crucial that we prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach,” Tinubu said before the closed part of the meeting.
He said leaders must act with a “sense of urgency,” though appeared to retreat from the bloc’s earlier threat to use force.
Niger's junta turns away most efforts at mediation. Hours before the ECOWAS meeting, the junta announced a new government on Wednesday night.
More than half of the 21 positions were filled by civilians. The rest were military appointments. The cabinet is to be led by new Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Liman Zeine.
In his address at the opening of the summit that was attended by regional heads of state and government, Tinubu said the crisis could have an effect on the entire region
ECOWAS had held an emergency meeting July 30 in Abuja and issued a one-week ultimatum to coup leaders to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or force would be used. But coup leaders defied the deadline, prompting ECOWAS to call for a second meeting.
