The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice has dismissed a request by Niger’s military junta to suspend the sanctions imposed by the regional bloc following the July coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The court, based in Abuja, Nigeria, ruled on Thursday that the junta, which calls itself the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and the Rule of Law (CNRD), is an unconstitutional and illegitimate government that cannot represent Niger as a member state of ECOWAS.
The junta had argued that the sanctions, which include closing borders, suspending financial transactions and freezing assets, were causing severe hardship for Niger’s citizens, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region. The junta had asked for a provisional halt to the sanctions pending a final judgment on the issue.
However, Justice Dupe Atoki, who delivered the ruling, said that the junta had violated the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which prohibits any unconstitutional change of government in the region. She said that the junta had no legal standing to challenge the sanctions, which were aimed at restoring constitutional order and democracy in Niger.
The ruling could further complicate efforts to resolve the political crisis in Niger and return the country to civilian rule. The junta, which has appointed a prime minister, has set a possible three-year timeline to hold elections and hand over power, which ECOWAS has rejected as too long.
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, who has emerged as a mediator between Niger and ECOWAS, was visiting Niger on Thursday ahead of an ECOWAS summit scheduled on Sunday in Abuja to discuss the situation in Niger and other political crises across West Africa.
Niger’s deposed president, Bazoum, who was elected in February in the first democratic transition of power in the country’s history, is still detained by the junta along with other senior officials. ECOWAS has demanded his unconditional release and reinstatement as one of the conditions for lifting the sanctions.
Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries, has been plagued by instability and violence for decades, facing threats from armed groups, ethnic conflicts and environmental challenges. The coup has raised fears of further instability and insecurity in the country and the region, as well as undermining the democratic gains made in recent years.
However, some analysts and civil society groups have expressed hope that the coup could also provide an opportunity for dialogue and reform and that the international community could play a constructive role in supporting a peaceful and inclusive transition process.
Source: The Independent
