Niger Military Junta Affirms Open To Talks With All Parties, But...

The meeting of heads of ECOWAS member countries to discuss the Niger coup in Abuja. (Twitter/@ecowas_cedeao)

JAKARTA - The Niger military junta on Tuesday said it was open to talks to resolve the regional crisis caused by a military coup last month, while Russia and the United States called for a peaceful resolution.

Western powers and governments of African countries have called on coup leaders to restore power to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, whom they have detained since July 26. However, military leaders rejected and rejected negotiated efforts.

The West African military chief will meet on Thursday and Friday in Ghana to prepare for possible military interventions, which are threatened with being launched by major regional blocs, the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS), if diplomacy fails.

Although, any military intervention could further shake up the poor Sahel, where insurgency by groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS, has displaced millions of people over the past decade and sparked a hunger crisis.

"We are in the process of transition. We have explained the ins and outs, reaffirmed our willingness to remain open and talk to all parties, but we urge this country to be independent," said Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, who was appointed prime minister by the military last week. August 16.

He spoke after traveling to meet Chadian President Mahamat Deby, who staged a coup in 2021. It is known that the takeover of Niger is the seventh in West and Central Africa in three years.

Separately, the coup and its consequences have drawn up international forces that have strategic interests in the region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Mali military leaders about the Niger coup on Tuesday, a call that is likely to raise concerns among Western governments concerned about Russia's increasing influence in West Africa's Sahel region.

President Putin "suppressed the importance of a peaceful resolution to a more stable Sahel," Mali Assimi Goita interim president said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman Sabrina Singh said US President Joe Biden's administration was committed to a diplomatic resolution, not wanting to lose Niger as a partner country.

Singh declined to call the takeover a coup, but said it "of course looks like a coup attempt."

Meanwhile, ECOWAS has the support of the Central African regional bloc ECCAS in a bid to cancel the Niger coup and restore the constitutional order, Nigerian President and ECOWAS Ball Chair said Tuesday.

"I understand the fear of our people for all forms of military action. We work to defend sanctions and we follow them to the letter," he explained in a statement.

It is known that Russia's influence in West Africa has increased, while Western influence has eased since a series of coups began.

For example, military leaders in Mali and Burkina Faso have expelled troops from the former French colonial force and strengthened ties with Moscow.

In Mali, the military government also brought in mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group, which is accused of executing civilians and committing other gross human rights violations.

Meanwhile, Niger, under President Bazoum, remains an ally of the West. The US, France, Germany, and Italy have troops stationed there under an agreement with the now ousted civilian government.

The leader of the Niger coup also revoked a series of military agreements with France, although Paris ignored them by saying they did not recognize them as legitimate authority.