At the end of a meeting described as “tense”, the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC), the body in charge of resolving conflicts within the AU, categorically rejected the use of military force to remove the military junta in Niger Republic.
Chaired by Burundi, the Peace and Security Council, which met on 14 August, reached a decision that it was against ECOWAS military intervention.
This decision is in contrast to the decision by ECOWAS to activate its military standby force, a move that has faced stiff opposition from some member-states who have called for caution and further talks to address the impasse in the country.
At the last Extraordinary Summit on the socio-political situation in Niger Republic, held in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, the Nigerian President, Bolo Tinubu, had proposed dialogue as the logical path to peace. He also requested the “validation” of the African Union for his intervention project in Niger. This position represents a setback for supporters of an intervention.
