Commissioner for Political Affairs for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Abdel-Fatau Musah, has expressed his astonishment and concern over the questions raised regarding ECOWAS not seeking permission from the UN Security Council before considering the use of force in Niger in response to the coup.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of an ECOWAS military chiefs meeting held in Accra on Thursday, August 17, 2023, he emphatically stated that ECOWAS does not need consult the UN before it takes any decision or embarks on any move that will ensure the peace and stability of the West African bloc.
“Why is it in Africa that people start asking why don’t you go to the Security Council? Did the Russians go to the Security Council before going to Ukraine, and those pumping weapons into Ukraine, are they asking the Security Council? When Libya was attacked, was it a security sector authorisation?” he asked.
Notwithstanding, he said ECOWAS has the full support of the UN, though clarifying that this doesn’t necessarily equate to an endorsement from the Security Council.
“The UN has condemned the coup, they are supporting the actions of the ECOWAS. When the UN supports, it doesn’t mean it is like an approval from the Security Council. The UN Secretariat has supported us and we are constantly working with the special representative for the Secretary General for West Africa which also shows their support to what we are doing,” he said.
As a follow-up to the directive of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its Extraordinary Summit on the political situation in the Republic of Niger held on 10th August 2023 in Abuja, Nigeria, the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDC) has commenced the activation of the ECOWAS Standby Force for the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
To this end, the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff will be having an extraordinary meeting in Accra, Ghana from 17th to 18th August 2023 to finalise plans for the deployment of the Standby Force.
Addressing the gathering on the first day of the meeting, Minister of Defence of Ghana Dominic Nitiwul mentioned that some countries including Mali, Guinea, etc., were not present.
“Four of our member states [Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger] are now facing sanctions for resorting to unconstitutional change of government which contradicts the ECOWAS protocol on good governance and democracy,” he explained.