ECOWAS military heads say they are ready to deploy Force to Niger 

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Stand by force to restore constitutional rule in Niger is ready and awaiting orders to deploy. 

This was the outcome a two-day meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Accra to strategize on the ways and means to deploy to Niger. 

The Committee will be forwarding its decisions to the Authority’s heads of states and governments for approval. 

Ambassador Abdul-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission, disclosed this to the press after their deliberations at 1750 hours on Friday, August 18, 2023 in Accra. 

He said they were ready to go anytime the order was given by the Authority of heads of states. 

“All member states have committed elements into this deployment. We are ready to go anytime the order is given. The day has been decided.” 

“This is the final meeting before the deployment. As our heads of governments are satisfied, our members will cross over to the region,” he stressed. 

Ambassador Musah said they were not going to Niger for war, but to restore constitutional order. 

He said the deployment was not their preferred option but they were being obliged to do so. 

He emphasised that they were doing this in defense of the principles of the Authority, and were not influenced by any foreign or international agency or state. 

“We are doing this on our own principles as an Authority. We are doing this by ourselves, for ourselves and for the posterity of our region,” he added. 

Ambassador Musah said the Authority was still open to dialogue, saying, they still had mediation in place prior to the deployment. 

Source: GNA