Niger vs ECOWAS?

[@VeikoNashapi-xu5sk]

I am a Namibian and i feel like i want to join this fight to defend Ninger

[@faizeladam1404]

I'm a South African and I want to join you to see Africa victorious over the colonialists

[@arljohn3510]

If you are able please join. Calling on youth all across Africa to join the fight for the sovereignty of Niger. The UN is basically silent on what is happening because it is black people. I have one message for people of color. Leave the UN and leave the Commonwealth. They are not working for you. Form your own institutions that preserve you cultural heritage. Down with France and America.

[@titsaa_]

I'm from Cameroon. I feel the same as you. Niger is not too far from me so if they are recruiting, I will most likely be on the Frontline. This is a fight for all of Africa. No sacrifice is too great for our freedom.

[@castropalmer-ck4qs]

Agree. 🇯🇲😎

[@Enthujazztrini]

The foolishness of these ecowas puppets never ceases to amaze me.

[@Ethiopia.First.]

We support Hermela for professional journalism and fact based information!

[@castropalmer-ck4qs]

ECOWAS is NATO in Africa. 🇯🇲😎

[@milionephrem489]

❤Africa for Africans❤ Whose peace and interests does ECOWAS protect? Africans or European modern colonialism? If we Africans do not unite and break the modern colonialism network, we will continue to live in poverty under the yoke of the colonialists for many years to come. All Africans and black people must stand together and fight the modern colonialism. Enough is Enough. GOD BLESS AFRICA🙏

[@castropalmer-ck4qs]

We don't need to look far to see the TRAITORS that have been helping the Europeans to COLONISED BLACK PEOPLE 🇯🇲😎

[@MesfinJ]

Nigeria standing for neo colonialist west was not in my mind. Shame!!

[@hrfootball5799]

Russia help us, NATO must leave Africa

[@ssa8018]

It's time to fight against colonialism. You all brothers from Africa fight together against France colonialism. Fight for independence 👍👍👍❤️

[@thulanidngubane8603]

This channel is making a lot of sense ❤️❤️❤️

[@Mk-hq2gc]

I don’t think Africa can move forward as long as we have leaders like some of ECOWAS leaders. Thank you hermela for all good work you do

[@ishmaelbenn4002]

That's a great question. The US and France should be trying to change their positions in order to win the hearts of the population of Niger.

[@marsz7896]

Chanel is great. I'm from Indonesia. I really support West Africa to become an industrial country for finished materials, not raw materials for Europe. So that African people can work and get rich from industrial salaries in their country

[@jeffmason2691]

"what can America and France do to win the hearts of the people?" you are kidding right. There is NOTHING France can do at this point but GET OUT and stay out. They have shown their true colors.

[@Beeworker]

And France and US, UK, Germany have no intentions of changing colours or colors. Change colors, why and for what? That’s what the useless African bootlickers and traitors ECOWAS and Nigeria seeking to invade Niger are for.

[@kolabamgboshe2500]

Enough is enough no war in Niger Peace all over Africa 🙏

[@vidaatakpo4354]

Father God I pray that you teach ECOWAS a good lesson as they harden their hearts.

[@AbeshaSew]

Enlightening and informative. Thank You Hermela, keep the good work!

[@muluworktesfay5443]

Wish you happy Ethiopian New Year my Mela.

[@kontehlamin4312]

God help niger 🇳🇪 🙏 please

[@arundavid8231]

No war is there

[@arundavid8231]

Still i'm alive only peace

[@philologustate4464]

Any intervention by ecowas will be in favor of the foreign bases, and the people remain in squalor and hunger

[@numinuecooper9975]

If they try anything against Niger it'll be hell to pay.

[@joneswood2075]

The slave trade is going on amongst the greedy and corrupt officials in both Nigerian and international Ghanaian 😅

[@arundavid8231]

he Atlantic slave trade removed 12.5 million people from Africa and probably resulted in the death of millions more. This violence and forced migration caused long-term suffering at the individual and societal levels. Three Ghanaian scholars give us a sense of its impact on the coast, the interior, and the far north of this region

[@EvansAbayateye-t5x]

Why is Ghana not pulling out of this nonesense group ECOWAS members which is going to be disastrous for Ghana. We are already hungry.

[@myfulislam3643]

Lol because your leaders are same puppets of west as others ecowas Nations leaders are

[@Beeworker]

Why is Ghana not pulling out of this nonsense group, ECOWAS? What is a scab? Once a wound is healed. The scab has served its purpose and is useless and peels off and discarded. One would think, after 531-years of African scabs helping foreigners to enslave, oppress, commit larceny, genocides, and destroy African peoples lives. ECOWAS, Nigeria and others would be seeking a peaceful solution in Niger.

[@XInstitute]

Very insightful David. I like your analysis. Proxy Proxy Proxy war. If the useless tinubu wants to go to war. He should do that all by himself w/o the Nigerian army

[@XInstitute]

@GoAt9ja ok. Go ahead and join him for the war. Quashia Bulu

[@arundavid8231]

tinubu corruptted fellow go ahead with Burkina & house arrest him

[@GlobalMonitorDaily]

ECOWAS should start with Nigerian President Tinubu. How did He get to power? Lets start from there.

[@african-history-fountain]

It is in court, so shut it, you Igbo Biafran separatist.

[@alemayehuworkeshet3182]

My hero who stand in front of TPLF …stand for all Africa

[@NathanielZoegar]

We are talking about Military coups and changing constitution.

[@jerrynaga5917]

Uncle Sam ECOWAS ❤️ is trying to keep colonialism alive.

[@african-history-fountain]

That is a really uninformed, naive view you have. Take Nigeria for example. They have a 15 billion dollar gas pipeline project to supply Europe, which passes upwards through Niger, Algeria and into Europe. Putin is against the project as it will reduce his monopoly of the European gas market. Moscow is backing the Niger coupists. Guess what will happen to that gas pipeline which could triple Nigeria's annual income when completed? The Niger military will stall the project or even sabotage it. So don't you think it would be in Nigeria's national interest to see the back of the military in Niger? Then take the other ECOWAS countries. Their leaders are looking at these coups happening in West Africa and thinking, ''we have to put a stop to this, or OUR military could be encouraged to seize power here in OUR country.'' So while France may have interests in Niger, it doesn't imply ECOWAS is ''fighting for France''. It is actually an insult to the ECOWAS nations to imply that they couldn't possibly have their own interests in what is going on in their own subregion.

[@rathindrasarkar3238]

African interest slogan rapidly increasing. Every country are looking for their own interest. So why not Africa? Africans are not sleeping now. proud for them. Go ahead. Waiting to see their victory from deprive of 400 years . From India. 15:11 16:28

[@everyoneisabillionaire9380]

Nice one by David Otto

[@philologustate4464]

There should be an election now, and the people vote for a new government

[@dericcollins8502]

This brother talks some real stuff ❤

[@Mr.G.77]

Very knowledgeable guy, is he a professor? Please have him in your channel frequently.

[@cytkl]

Brother against Brother for printed useless papers from your enemies

[@guytruth5598]

You all are the same kind, and not enemies, the real enemies are the occupier.

[@mphomuthubi7363]

The biggest elephant in this regional room is Outarra. Where does he get the money to sustain the invasion because Ivory Coast is reeling in abject poverty too?

[@arundavid8231]

Culprit money 65.5% go to france from Niger EU gets 70% France & EU buying Uranium from africa total Uranium goes to Niger there comes money

[@mikael3245]

can any one help me what restore order means when all the ministers and president bazzoom are under the control of the junta, can't they execute them all if there will be any intervention...,I think ecowas will only create more chaos in the region nothing else

[@3first1]

What is best for the people of Niger? Reconciliation, discuss issues around the table including the x-president.

[@arundavid8231]

People r not there don't go near

[@GebMel-m9c]

Dear hermela you are doing a wonderful job, it's time you expand. Do a documentry, movies. Start your own production company. Ask for donations if you must but this is the time to show and tell.

[@PoBoy_Trucker]

I literally was on ur channel a few days ago. Very upset at you 😂 No lives? I Wondering why your voice is almost absent in this matter. I don’t think you realize how powerful and impressionable you are as a voice of Africans like me. You are OUR VOICE. so speaking up for what matters to us and being the voice is what God has called you for. Please don’t let God down. Don’t let us down. Stop with the 3 month absence stuff. Respectfully

[@mauriceduncan5420]

United Africa. Where Africans decide their future. Africans benefits from their natural resources. All weak proxy Africans leaders needs to be voted out so stonger visionary leaders can step forward for the benefit of Africans. Our past ancestors fought and died for Africa which also birth great Kings, Queens and Worriers who also fought for the unification of Africa not for tribes or outside influencers.

[@iloveallpeople5041]

Much love Africa.

[@joneswood2075]

Please, did Ecowas meant for economic recovery or for war

[@jerrynaga5917]

What power does an economic union have to invade another country?

[@meri147]

Hermela ❤

[@chrisogonas]

VIVA Afrika! Away with France, away with all the neocolonialists. VIVA Afrika ✊

[@ubp9669]

Sad. Black on Black. Need to fix this

[@arundavid8231]

There is Black r White have u Olympics Last in Marathon Ethiopia won Gold medal , Usain bolt he is from Jamaica , Pele the Legend he from Africa Have u heard abt Black President Nelson Mandela

[@andrejmucic5003]

Otto wants to work for the IMF someday, he has high hopes, an opportunist in the making.

[@robertrichard6107]

' never heard of D. Otto before. He seems to have an unbiased big picture. If that's true about IMF, he might be a crypto AFRICOM dude.

[@usa7780]

Hermela : keep up your professionalism. There are hundreds of activists who can rabidly advocate for what they believe in. But almost no professional journalists who can bring both sides of the story

[@kebedejima6383]

Sorry for the people of Pan Africanist Kuwam Nikrumah ???

[@jebodiaz8163]

Greetings Queen!!! On One Knee... Eyes Placed At Your Feet... Upon One Knee... Shield Protects Me... The Spear Guides Me... Right Fist Raised To The Creator of Existence... Question Good Sister??? Who Has The Right To Tell and Make Decisions??? For a People In Which Has Been Enslaved??? Who Gives Me The Right??? To Enter a Land??? We Have All Been Slaves Long Enough... Our World Is Burning... Floods Have Encompassed Our World... Fires Scream The Name of The All... "I've Had Enough'!!! Yet Still My Creation Refuses To Hear... The Heat, Osiris... Burns Without Laws... And Still My Creation Refuse The Gift Existance, Physical Reality... Fighting Screaming to Remain... Africa as The Entirety... Bring Your People Home... Every Island and Coast on The Face of This Earth... Are Your People's... Knowledge, Technology, History and Archeology!!! There Is No Hope In War and Violence... My Name is Jebodiaz Muadi... I Am From Angola... My Family Was Bought Here. Alabama, Congo Is My Home... However. What Can I Come Home To??? The Same Oppression, Influence, and Guidelines of The Oppressor??? " Africa Set Aside Your Differences... Mass Exodus From All Lands and Nation's... D.N.A Statistics Not My Words... Peace And Blessings Be Upon All Earthlings... Jebodiaz Muadi I

[@kwuzzay]

How the so-called terrorist in #Africa #Sahel came about: #france, a rogue country armed certain tribes in the Sahel who had issues with #Libya president #Gaddafi. The cause of the beef between the tribes and Gaddafi was basically Gaddafi's forced urbanization and Arabization that demanded that these tribes move from the rural areas to the urban areas where there were ready housing and jobs. These tribes loved their way of life and their land, so they refused to leave, resulting in a beef between them and Gaddafi. france took advantage of the situation, and armed them, especially the #Tuareg tribe of Mali, to join their fellow Tuareg tribe of #Libya to overthrow Gaddafi. After the civil war in Libya, the Tuareg and other tribes returned to their homeland, #Mali, but with their guns and other weapons provided by france. They were soon branded "#terrorists" when they started defending their interests with the same arms. Since then, france took advantage of the problem they created to militarise the #Sahel with more bases that seek to protect their mineral resources interests. france is a rogue country and must be expelled by all means, from Africa.

[@God_Homeland_King]

Dont die for France.

[@ggvideonow1]

Restoration of Constitutional order in Niger is critical!! Military Junta in Africa in the 2022 is unacceptable!!

[@hagerawitekkali4209]

2022?

[@shangostorms]

What about in Nigeria or the U.S.A.

[@treycampbell3533]

And what about Political Junta in Africa, is that acceptable?

[@afrakanaswahilitv5520]

All Africans are against western puppet presidents that rigged themselves with the help USA, France and white Europeans into office. That is selection and not democracy. So we are kicking these puppeteers out office. Next in line is Alassane Quattara of Ivory Coast then Paul Biya of Cameroon, followed by the Presidents of Togo, Benin, Senegal, Mauritania, Chad and Egypt 🇪🇬.

[@jerusalemisrael1686]

ውድ እህታችን እንኳን በደህና መጣሽልን የአማራ ክልል ዝምታሽን ስበሪው

[@firstethiopia6688]

Ecwas not be foolish to make unnecessary involvement of corrupted government Western they need ECOWAS to involve make full fill their dream come true to take uranium

[@bahirudima8465]

Dear hermela oure heroes

[@arundavid8231]

You are our spice; you are powerfull and wonderful women. Hero woman in a time where only few of stands for truth and reality. Thanks about all... Hermela Aregawi

[@massawinomassawino4237]

I'll support Nagir for any donations that they needs. Freedom comes first over money. African people's deserves respect love unity 🤝 ✌️ peace each other Equal treatment like other world equally businesses treatments like world markets.

[@ahmederina]

ሄርሚ የኔ የብቻዬ

[@mauriciolizarbe4835]

In Nigeria: they must bring down the ECOWAS headquarters

[@pacoshuman7642]

This person is clearly speaking for the west...not sure why. Doesn't he care about his own people? There are some dramatically difficult things that the people in countries such as Niger have to deal with. And all he's doing is giving hope for France, perhaps U.S. etc...definitely not Russia. Okay. But at least represent your people...wow!

[@JaneDoe19635]

This man is probably financially dependent on the West, he may even live in Euro. Country or his family live in western country therefore he is verbal hostage as JB says ‘there will be consequences! So his narrative will be controlled by those circumstances.

[@lekkyjayz6294]

Great analyst!

[@restonemtandavari5348]

Madness

[@abe4871]

While Ethiopia is in crisis during the nazi Abiy Ahmed instead of talking and exposing the suffering that the Amhara people facing

[@Davidher480]

Talk is cheap, action speak louder than word

[@DavidOfosuAppiah]

War conflict coming across #west #central #east #north ..#Africa

[@teevo22]

🙏🙏💕

[@seemangal123]

Note: eco-was if they go to war then they will be eco-ass

[@CEBLOOMS]

Keep me posted sister Good Reporting

[@arundavid8231]

soon keep posted

[@chrisbuildthis6999]

And Russia should pounce.

[@breakupgoogle]

Russia helps countries. Nato threatens them. Russia just forgave 23bil of africa debt

[@arundavid8231]

On the eve of Ukraine's independence day and the half-year mark of Russia's invasion of its neighbour, there was increasing unease in the country on Tuesday that Moscow could be centering on specific government and civilian targets during the holiday. The United States reinforced those concerns when its embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert, saying it “has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days.” Over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy already sensed a threat coming when he said in his daily address that “we should be aware that this week Russia may try to do something particularly nasty, something particularly cruel.” The warnings come on the heels of Russia's claim that Ukrainian intelligence was responsible for the car bombing that killed the daughter of a leading right-wing Russian political thinker over the weekend. Ukraine denied involvement. Darya Dugina, a 29-year-old commentator with a nationalist Russian TV channel, died when a remotely controlled explosive device planted in her SUV blew up on Saturday night as she was driving on the outskirts of Moscow. The sense of dread pervading the war centres in part on Europe's largest nuclear power plant, at Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, where continued shelling and fighting in the area has raised fears of a nuclear catastrophe. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres late Monday warned about the nuclear threat in general, particularly since Russia alluded to its massive nuclear arsenal early in the war. Guterres demanded a halt to “nuclear saber-rattling” on Monday, saying the world is at a “maximum moment of danger” and all countries with nuclear weapons must make a commitment to “no first-use". That didn't prevent shelling close to Zaporizhzhia early Tuesday. Regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said Russian forces fired on nearby Marhanets and Nikopol on the right bank of the Dnieper River, continuing weeks of relentless overnight shelling. Amid the death and destruction, there was one small point of light. All professional soccer was stopped in February, but a new league season starts on Tuesday in Kyiv. The Olympic Stadium will see the the opening-day meeting of Shakhtar Donetsk and Metalist 1925 from Kharkiv - teams from eastern cities that are fighting for their very existence. No fans will be allowed in the 65,000-capacity downtown stadium for the kickoff at 1 pm local time, and the players must be rushed to bomb shelters if air-raid sirens sound. "The teams, the players will be proud of this event,” Shakhtar captain Taras Stepanenko said Monday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

[@habtomalem9951]

All Ethiopian with you

[@negusofminjar8290]

Kissing racist gala abiyot Ahmed Ali ass. A World class journalist 😂

[@enhanceknowledgellc]

ECOWAS wrong interpretation of its constitution ECOWAS interpretation of its Bylaws/Constitution at this time is flawed; the article of reference is valid only for the cases when the elected government is in-place and facing factional rebellion that has fractured the country. Then ECOWAS effectively goes in to aid the govt to defeat the insurgents/rebels. However, this is not the case in Niger, where the govt has been completely set aside, hence the outcome is not case of prevailing insurgency but rather a revolution, so ECOWAS must back off.

[@arundavid8231]

ECWAS has west connection

[@chicofresh4396]

Look at all that Ethiopian stolen money. TPLF cadre.

[@drum1403]

Hi Hermela, a video with the Ethnic War (what finaly happend) and a video of whats happening with Fano...in Amhara, would be very helpful...

[@Davidher480]

ECOWAS,NATO ,EU AND the rest of the club is all about talk, talk don't work, unless you can back up those words, stop talking about the problem, do something about it, get the job done

[@arundavid8231]

ECOWAS NATO EU Corrupted Coup has arrested them they in Niger with Africa military force their Accoun has been freezed now niger belongs to Africa

[@douglasjobe1600]

Y not attack guinea, Mali n Faso ? Africans, is time 2 wake up n even ban d west of visas 2 Africa. Even their presidents hv 2 apply Visa n being regretted n let dem taste d sweet dreams of Africa now. Do all stay more blessed.

[@danjensen-pastafariandan]

comment

[@arundavid8231]

consult with ur military but they leave corrupted ECOWAS Snakara brother who was military formed it that's why ur suffering

[@arundavid8231]

who formed it against you think abt it

[@denrrickcurry7434]

IF ALL OF YOU SETTLE YOYR DIFFERENCES ECOWAS AND NIGEE; ALL OF YOU ARE RICH! I SAID RICH! UNIFICATION IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE!

[@googleaccount4690]

Love cacao ❤

[@rachaelpatrice]

We are nobody child but God's.we Afica is the Head so let we be. We had Repent meaning U turn back to Top move let Us pass😮😮😮

[@arundavid8231]

Let Coup corrupted leader suffer till death noboby african should suffer today Independence day

[@Foreverandever789]

" NOW IS THE TIME TO BELIEVE IN JESUS " Read Revelation 13:16-18 in your Bible Read Revelation 14:9-11 in your Bible Read Revelation 6:12-17 in your Bible " A prayer to go to HEAVEN " Luke 23:42-43 kjv Lord I am a sinner and I believe that JESUS died on the cross for my sins. Buried afterwards, then rose from the dead. Read Romans 10:9-11 in your Bible The world is falling apart...JESUS is getting closer and closer Time is running out !

[@melvinjefferson2812]

Y'all should be preparing to do what i say nothing else cosmic radiation is increasing it won't be long go be with your family's and pray to the creater not god that's devil worshippers talk say creater and he'll come and say show mercy

[@randalfranck1938]

1111

[@randalfranck1938]

Beauty

[@patrickpedro6458]

You are talking nonsense, Ecowas is fighting against insecurities in West Africa .mumu

[@arundavid8231]

In a July 26 coup, soldiers in the West African nation of Niger installed Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani as head of state after ousting President Mohamed Bazoum, who said he was held “hostage”. Along with the difficult economic conditions already prevailing in the country, what has added to the concern for some in the West are the Nigerien calls for assistance from Russia’s Wagner Group. A mercenary organisation that was also active in the Ukraine war and maintained a footprint in Africa, the Group has fallen out of favour with Russian President Vladimir Putin after its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted a coup in Moscow in late June this year. However, its presence in Africa pre-dates its involvement in Ukraine. Apart from the expected international players, such as Russia and the United States, the regional bloc ECOWAS or the Economic Community of West African States has been playing an active role. Its heads of state will meet on Thursday (August 10) to discuss their next steps, after Niger’s military junta defied their August 6 deadline to reinstate the country’s ousted president and the soldiers closed the country’s airspace. There is also apprehension that ECOWAS may choose to intervene militarily. What is ECOWAS? Also known as CEDEAO in French, the regional group was established in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty - with a mandate of promoting economic integration among its members. Today, ECOWAS has 15 members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo. Around 400 million people live in this region. ECOWAS Although, following coups in recent years in some of the biggest countries in the bloc - namely Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso - it suspended the three members and refused to recognise their new governments. Freedom Sale Also Read | Niger coup: How ordinary people are paying the price ECOWAS’ larger aims are to have a single common currency and create a single, large trading bloc in areas of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, financial issues, and social and cultural matters. According to its website, the vision of ECOWAS is the creation of a “borderless region” that is well-integrated. “ECOWAS is meant to be a region governed in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance,” it states. At the helm of its organisation structure is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government. The Chairman is the current Head of State and Government and is appointed by other Heads of State and Government to oversee its affairs for one year. What kind of a role has ECOWAS played in the region so far? Beyond the goals of economic cooperation, ECOWAS has attempted to quell military conflicts in the region. According to Associated Press, ECOWAS also operated a regional peacekeeping operation known as ECOMOG, led by Nigeria in the 1990s and early 2000s, like in Liberia when forces were first deployed in 1990 during the deadly civil war and in Sierra Leone in 1997 when a democratically elected government was overthrown. In 2017, it intervened in The Gambia after longtime President Yahya Jammeh refused to step down after losing the elections which eventually led to the winner Adama Burrow coming to power. It has sent its troops to other countries but never to Niger. Best of Explained What the Luna-25 crash tells us about Moon landings The Kashmir issue: why India went to the UN, and what happened after that Gene-edited mustard: Less pungent, more useful CLICK HERE FOR MORE Incidentally, the ongoing Niger coup’s leader, Gen. Tchiani, has previously served as battalion commander for ECOWAS peacekeepers in Ivory Coast after a ceasefire between government and rebel forces in 2003, according to a Reuters report. And what might ECOWAS do in Niger? While its response so far has indicated a military intervention, even if it ends up being limited in scope, the grouping faces many challenges. For instance, on Monday, Mali said it and Burkina Faso, both neighbours of Niger run by military juntas, were sending a delegation of officials to Niger to show support and would consider an attack as an attack on them as well. The coups in these countries have been justified by the respective military leaders by pointing to the rising influence of terrorist forces and accompanying security challenges, which they claim the civilian establishment had been unable to handle. They have also been critical of the Western role in leading efforts to solve such issues but failing.

[@ghwsjet5100]

You are a criminal , I am happy you have been fire.

[@ObadiahGeterminah]

I strongly support ECOWAS. If no action , this will enter other African countries.

[@STREETMBEUR]

You are still slave

[@collinsoposh7835]

You don't understand what you are supporting

[@deoibyiyingoma1784]

Ecowas is not a political union or a superstate of some kind. They cannot pay the salaries of their staff without receiving handouts from their colonial masters yet they are pedling lies about activating a standby army that doesn't exist. The truth of the matter is that France needs an umbrella of local enslaved countries under which to operate. But Even France cannot beat the allied countries behind Niger. So they badly need America and all NATO to intervene and restore their plundering and narco systems. There was no democracy with Bazoum and the people are happy he was toppled. Wat the West wants is plundering the abundant resources.

[@reliancelogistics8232]

You must be a scatterbrain to support ECOWAS

[@arundavid8231]

As a deadline to restore Niger’s democratic government passes, strong initial ECOWAS reaction to Niger coup d’etat now appears divided. A supporter of Niger's coup leaders holds a sign reading "Knock down France" during a rally at a stadium in Niamey, Niger, August 6, 2023. Video Duration 01 minutes 59 seconds 01:59 By SB Lawal Published On 6 Aug 2023 6 Aug 2023 All eyes are on the next move by West African leaders who vowed to attack coup leaders in Niger if they failed to free the detained president and revert back to a democratically elected government. The deadline for the threat of force involving troops from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was Sunday. By late evening, no sign of a military intervention in Niger was apparent. While some observers say the bloc’s hardline stance was prompted by Western allies - the United States and France in particular - ECOWAS’s moves reflect a different approach of its new chairman, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, and they crystallise the fear of member-state leaders who do not want their militaries getting their own ideas, analysts say. “Coups are rarely carried out in isolation, especially when there are similar experiences, structures and institutions in neighbouring countries,” said Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, an Abuja-based political analyst. “Militaries in the region exchange intelligence so democratic administrations are likely worried about the possibility of their soldiers engaging in similar acts.” But ECOWAS’s combative response to Niger’s coup also reveals unusual cracks in the alliance of its 15 member states. As the threat of a regional war dangles palpably in the air, countries have scrambled to pick a side in what is shaping up to be a major showdown - with wealthier coastal economies on the one side and their landlocked, military-led counterparts on the other. Niger’s neighbours to the west have risen to the defence of the General Abdourahmane Tchiani-led military government that has dug its heels in and shunned peace talks. The military governments in Mali and Burkina Faso called ECOWAS’s bluff, saying an armed intervention in Niger would be met with force. Guinea also sided with the putschist leaders. All three countries plus Niger are suspended from ECOWAS, and form part of a military-led belt spanning Africa’s Sahel from Guinea in the west to Sudan in the east. Led by Nigeria, richer, coastal states are also uniting as an alarming insecurity trend stemming from their northern neighbours threatens their stability. In recent years, Gulf of Guinea countries previously spared armed-group violence ravaging the Sahel have experienced attacks in locations bordering Mali and Burkina Faso. Silhouettes of members of the regional ECOWAS force are seen Silhouettes of members of the regional ECOWAS force are seen at the Denton Bridge checkpoint in Banjul, Gambia [File: Thierry Gouegnon/Reuters] Fears of a violent spillover In the semi-arid Sahel that separates coastal Africa and the Sahara, armed groups are swarming like ants on sugar, pulled by a mixture of weak states, bleak economic prospects, burgeoning populations and a punishing climate. Conflict trackers say Africa - the Sahel in particular - has experienced quadrupled levels of violence in the past decade, and the past year has seen fatalities peak. Almost 10,000 deaths from attacks have been recorded, mostly in Mali and Burkina Faso, according to data from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. But in recent years, the armed groups have begun to expand their reach, pushing down towards littoral states that have historically struggled to battle piracy in the Atlantic Ocean. In June 2022, Togo declared a state of emergency in response to an attack that killed eight soldiers. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated group based in Mali, claimed responsibility, marking the first such attack in the country. Benin recorded eight times more violent incidents last year than in 2021. Recent attacks in Cote d’Ivoire are raising suspicions that sleeper cells are already operating in the country. And Ghana, which has not suffered a direct assault, is bracing itself, pushing the Accra Alliance - an initiative to halt a violent spillover from the Sahel - to act preemptively. Coups in Mali and Burkina Faso have coincided with spikes in violence, analysts say. Both military governments seized power between 2020 and 2022, respectively, promising to end insecurity. They have expelled thousands of French and United Nations troops as perceptions that their presence did not improve security grew. Soldiers from the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary force, are now present in both countries. The private military group has been accused of human rights abuses against local communities. West African leaders have linked the rise of military regimes to the escalating violence by armed groups as well. Oumar Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, said in July that the barrage of coups in the region “run parallel to insecurity that West Africa and the Sahel have been facing for some time now”. Meanwhile, Niger - the last ally of France and the US in the Sahel - saw attack-related deaths reduced by more than 50 percent in recent years. Dialogue with armed groups, engagement with conflict-affected communities, and collaboration with French and US troops helped the situation, said James Barnett of the Hudson Institute, a US-based think-tank. But the new military leadership appears poised to move away from that approach. “It has already announced the termination of its defence agreement with France,” said Barnett. “It’s unclear if Wagner will enter the fray, but it is certainly a risk if ECOWAS goes ahead with an intervention, and the junta in Niamey is desperate for external support.” How will the crisis affect ECOWAS? ECOWAS is not new to military interventions to restore order. Regional force ECOMOG was crucial to ending the Sierra Leone and Liberia civil wars in the 1990s. In 2017, the alliance helped usher out former Gambian autocrat Yahya Jammeh, who refused to hand over power after losing elections. But Niger presents ECOWAS’s greatest challenge in 30 years, analysts say. “There are hard regional divisions at play now,” said Barnett. “This would be a messy conflict.” Niger’s western neighbour Chad - which is not officially part of the regional bloc but has played a mediating role - might provide inroads for a land invasion, but has not committed to military action. Defence chiefs have said an invasion would be a last resort, but there is a chance the bloc will continue to take a hardline approach. President Tinubu of Nigeria, the ECOWAS chief, harbours personal ambitions to make Nigeria a regional superpower again, Barnett noted, and France has signalled it will back the bloc’s threat. Nigeria’s military, however, is already stretched with internal crises and a war could disrupt joint counterterrorism operations in the region. Niger also sits directly atop Nigeria, sharing a 1,600km (1,000 mile) border that could see fighting spill over into neighbouring nations. As tensions escalate, analysts are split over how the bloc will weather the crisis. “There is a question about the future utility of ECOWAS,” said Adekaiyaoja. “It has failed to stop four coups now. The question of its continued relevance in the region needs to be raised.” But Barnett disagreed, pointing out that the bloc has been around for 50 turbulent years. “I don’t think we can say yet that this will be the end of ECOWAS. Regimes come and go in West Africa so the juntas defying ECOWAS today might not have much longevity. But this is a serious test of the bloc’s effectiveness, no doubt about it,” he said.

[@drawin612]

Support ECOWAS and allies for the restoration of the Democratically elected government in Niger and their continued struggle against the islamists

[@micedutainmentzone8249]

Hell no! ECOWAS are embarrassing itself plus you who's supporting them!! France should go so they can fully gain their independence.

[@faizeladam1404]

Are you insane. . Niger is the second poorest country in the world. 80% of Frances electricity is powered by Niger uranium, while 20% of Niger citizens have electricity. Are you European?

[@breakupgoogle]

Ecowas are nato puppets and are evil.

[@arundavid8231]

@@faizeladam1404 no ur going cut the power of b'coz it's electricty comes through Uranium

[@arundavid8231]

iF u imagine macron head will be in my hands