WEST AFRICAN ARMY CHIEFS MEETING IN GHANA OVER NIGER COUP

Military chiefs from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, are meeting to discuss the deployment of a standby force for possible military
intervention to restore democracy in Niger. The gathering is taking place on Thursday and Friday in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

At least 11 of the bloc’s 15-member states back a military deployment to reinstate the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, after
diplomatic efforts failed to yield any positive result. But three ECOWAS members currently under military rule themselves – Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea support the junta. Niger’s coup leaders have warned they will defend themselves against any intervention. The discussions in Accra will focus on the resources, the number of troops needed, and a standard operating procedure for combat troops.