The Republic of Niger has approved for Mali and Burkina Faso’s armed forces to intercede on its territory in the eventual case of an attack, according to a joint statement on Thursday, August 24. This is a possible sign that the junta in Niger plans to keep combating the regional pressure to stand down.
ECOWAS, the main West African bloc has been attempting to negotiate with the coup leaders but they had also warned that the bloc was ready to send troops into Niger to restore constitutional order if all diplomatic efforts come to no fruition.
Any attack on the country risks further destabilising the insurgency-ravaged region as Niger’s junta-led neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, have announced that they would support Niger in any dispute with ECOWAS.
On Thursday, August 24, the three allies’ foreign ministers stated that they had met in the Nigerien capital, Niamey, to deliberate on encouraging cooperation on security and other joint issues.
A statement released had stated that the ministers welcomed the signing on Thursday by the Niger junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani, who authorised and gave the go-ahead for the Defense and Security Forces of Burkina Faso and Mali to intervene on Nigerien territory in the eventuality of an attack in the country.
The BurkinaFaso and Malian Ministers had also recapitulated their rejection of an armed intervention against the nation, Niger, saying that it would be taken as a declaration of war.
