August 07, (THEWILL) – Italy and Germany, on Monday, urged ECOWAS to extend the deadline given to Niger’s coup leaders to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
Bazoum was overthrown on July 26, when members of his Presidential Guard held him hostage.
The ECOWAS had, last Sunday, issued the military junta a one-week ultimatum to hand over power to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or face possible military intervention.
But, as the deadline expired on Sunday, Italy and Germany called for a diplomatic resolution of the Nigerien crisis, urging more talks than military intervention.
“The only path is a diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today. A solution must be found. It’s not set that there is no way other than war,” Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, told La Stampa newspaper.
In a similar call, Germany’s Foreign Ministry urges ECOWAS to seek a diplomatic solution to the political impasse in Niger.
“We support ECOWAS in its mediation efforts, which are still ongoing. The expiry of the bloc’s deadline did not mean there would automatically be military action. We hope that these (mediation) efforts will ultimately lead to success and that constitutional order will be restored in Niger,” a ministry spokesman told a press briefing on Monday.
