Following a military coup, the African Union (AU) has expelled Niger from all of its initiatives and warned its members to refrain from taking any actions that might lend legitimacy to the junta.
Following a meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, on Tuesday, August 22, several Western nations cut aid to Niger as a result of the July 26 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The AU Commission has been asked to evaluate the financial, social, and security ramifications of ECOWAS’ decision to activate a standby force, the AU Peace and Security Council stated in a communique on Tuesday.
Since the coup that was arranged by his presidential guard, Bazoum has been under house arrest.
In addition to sanctions, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided last week on a “D-day” when a military intervention would start through a regional strike force that had already been activated.
The ECOWAS, which has already imposed broad sanctions on Niger that were supported by the AU, declared that using force would only be an option after all diplomatic avenues for negotiation had been used.
