Niger’s new strongman, General Abdourahamane Tiani, who came to power through a coup, assured Saturday evening that the transition period could not exceed three years while warning foreign countries against military intervention aimed at his country.
“Our ambition is not to confiscate power,” said Mr. Tiani during a televised address, specifying that the duration of the transition “cannot go beyond three years”. “If an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walkover some people believe in,” he warned, the day after a decision by ECOWAS saying it was ready for armed intervention. In this speech of a dozen minutes, General Tiani announced the launch of a “national dialogue” which has thirty days to formulate “concrete proposals” with a view to laying “the foundations of a new constitutional life”. .
This speech comes after the visit, earlier in the day, of a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to seek a peaceful solution to the crisis.
“ECOWAS is preparing to attack Niger by setting up an occupying army in collaboration with a foreign army”, continued General Tiani without citing a country. He also denounced “illegal” and “inhuman” sanctions by the West African organization. Since July 30, Niger has been under heavy financial and trade sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, which wants the return of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held prisoner since the July 26 coup, to power.
“ECOWAS is preparing to attack Niger by setting up an occupying army in collaboration with a foreign army”, continued General Tiani without citing a country. He also denounced “illegal” and “inhuman” sanctions by the West African organization. Since July 30, Niger has been under heavy financial and trade sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, which wants the return of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held prisoner since the July 26 coup, to power.
“ECOWAS is preparing to attack Niger by setting up an occupying army in collaboration with a foreign army”, continued General Tiani without citing a country. He also denounced “illegal” and “inhuman” sanctions by the West African organization. Since July 30, Niger has been under heavy financial and trade sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, which wants the return of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held prisoner since the July 26 coup, to power.
AFP
