Pope Francis called for a diplomatic solution in Niger on Sunday, August 20, less than a month after the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum in a coup.
“I am following with concern what is happening in Niger and I join the call of the bishops in favor of peace in the country and stability in the Sahel,” stated the head of the Church after the weekly Angelus prayer. “I join in prayer the efforts of the international community to find a peaceful solution as soon as possible for the good of all,” the pontiff added.
This declaration comes in particular after the threat of deploying ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) military forces, which nonetheless hopes to find a path of negotiation with General Abdourahamane Tiani, who leads the coup.
However, the conditions demanded by the community do not appear to be accepted by General Tiani. In his speech on the evening of Saturday, August 19, the strongman of the junta did not mention the release of the elected president Mohamed Bazoum or his return to power. These are two mandatory conditions for a diplomatic path that ECOWAS has advocated for.
