The ECOWAS heads of state are preparing to go to war against Niger if Mohamed Bazoum, the president who was overthrown during a coup on July 26, 2023, is not reinstated.
We, the signatories of this letter, stand united to urge the leaders of our nations to reject this initiative. Its detrimental impact on our citizens, economies, and the very fabric of our nations is evident. A conflict in the region would be collective suicide—which absolutely we cannot allow to happen.
Therefore, Heads of state and every citizen have a duty to vigorously oppose abrupt disruptions to the constitutional order, as can be witnessed in Niger. But it is equally essential to commit the same energy and determination to prevent the underlying causes that lead to military coups in the first place.
In the case of Niger, ECOWAS has imposed unprecedented and harshest sanctions. Never have such extreme measures been taken against a country of the Community. The population is by far the main victims. Two other factors further complicate the situation. On the one hand, Burkina Faso and Mali are allying in defense of Niger. On the other hand, Western countries stand firmly behind the overthrown president.
Considering the close military affiliations that Burkina Faso and Mali share with Russia, all the ingredients for a confrontation of the entire sub-region are thus in place. This comes at a time when the Sahel is already vulnerable from a decade-long surge in terrorism, which keeps spreading through coastal states.
Although the anti-terrorism task forces made up of soldiers from all countries of the ECOWAS region are paying a heavy price for their efforts, the civilians are the main victim of terrorism and suffer the most. They are subjected to murder and other unspeakable atrocities. Their only way out is to abandon their homes and possessions, to find themselves in the extreme precariousness of internally displaced persons or refugees. All this represents unacceptable suffering.
In these tragic conditions, to engage in a new military undertaking aimed at pitting several armies against each other is to resort to a remedy worse than the actual problem. We cannot afford to inflict further suffering on the population – which would be the inevitable outcome should ECOWAS greenlights a military intervention.
Even if the reinstatement of President Bazoum as head of state through a military action is from the point of view of heads of state a just cause – is it reasonable to expose the entire population to military conflict to this end?
Absolutely not. This is what comes the people we listen to in the streets, and who we read on social networks. This today gives the temperature of the majority opinion. It is clear that most of the ECOWAS citizens are against this impending conflict. The population knows that it will be the main victim in the long term and will feel the impact of the military action long after it’s over.
For Niger, we call on the heads of state to find, through diplomatic means and peaceful negotiation, the solution in the best interests of all Nigeriens, and by extension, the people of ECOWAS.
The Niger crisis must absolutely be seen by ECOWAS as a benchmark that must make it possible to redefine community rules.Yes, coups d’état are bad harmful for our nations, and we all know the causes. Those of recent years in West Africa are the result of political crises due to constitutional manipulation, elections tainted by massive fraud, poor governance and increasing security threats.
Consequently, beyond the peaceful resolution of the crisis in Niger, it is becoming urgent and crucial that our leaders to seriously address these root causes that lead to military coups. Secondly, that they take steps to solve problems by anticipating crises. It will then be a question of. Furthermore, they must take the necessary steps to resolve problems by anticipating crises and thus creating the conditions that deprive potential future putschists of popular support and any possibility of justifying their actions.
To this end, ECOWAS must strengthen its potential for action by equipping itself with strong legal and political instruments to prevent heads of state from abusing democratic rules and violating rights or arrogating rights to themselves in order to remain in power, sometimes even through dynastic succession. This is one of the root causes that lead to poor governance and lead to coups that put the entire sub-region at risk.
We are aware that ECOWAS is already concerned about the stability of its member states. This led to the adoption of the Additional Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy in 2001. Similarly, the project to limit presidential terms has been initiated since 2015. It is still a work in progress. The community must reinvent itself to become an ECOWAS of the peoples, as it itself states. That is how we strengthen the sovereignty of people and their ability to independently decide their own future.
For the time being, and as a matter of urgency, it is imperative that every effort must be made to break the downward and infernal spiral that is dragging the sub-region towards conflict. This is the hope of the people of the Economic Community of West African States, for whom we speak.
Signataires : Dialo DIOP, Médecin-Biologiste, Sénégal, Mamadou KOULIBALY, Professeur d’université, Côte d’Ivoire, Joël ATAYI- GUEDEGBE, Expert en Gouvernance, Bénin, Maryse QUASHIE, ex-enseignante du supérieur, Togo, Béatrice MANIGAT- A, Interprète de Conférence, Ghana Girmay HAILE, Ex-représentant des Nations-Unies, Erythrée Cheick Oumar DIARRAH, Ancien ambassadeur aux Etat-Unis, Mali, Boubacar Boris DIOP, Ecrivain, Sénégal Yao Paul ASSOGBA, Professeur Emérite, Canada Madieye MBODJ, Professeur de Lettre à la retraite, Sénégal, Comi TOULABOR, Ex-Directeur de recherche Sciences Po Bordeaux, France, Elom VINCE, Artiste Togo Kossi AGBOLO, Interprète de Conférence, Nigéria Many CAMARA, Professeur Sociologue, France, Gilles Amadou ACOGNY, Chef d’Entreprise, Royaume- Uni, Marie- Anne G. N.GUESSAN, Interprète, Côte D’Ivoire, Nalemane Moïse GOMIS, Journaliste, Nigeria, Sasso Pagnou, Enseignant-Chercheur, Togo,Isabelle LOUKA, Enseignante, France, Emmanuelle SODJI, Journaliste, Bénin, David Kpelly, Auteur, Enseignant, Mali, Yoporeka SOMET, Professeur Philosophe Egyptologue, Kénya, Matomswé KOULI, artiste, Togo, Bruno Charles NOUKPO, Journaliste, Bénin, Christophe NELSON, Photojournaliste, Nigeria, Felwine SARR, Universitaire – Ecrivain, Sénégal, Bahia Hamadahe AKO, retraité de l’Education nationale, France, Jean-Norbert VIGNODE, Chercheur associé au CELFA, Université Bordeaux Montaigne, France, Comlan Hugues SOSSOUKPE, Journaliste, Bénin, Roseline C. AFOLABI, retraitée de la Fonction publique, Haïti32) Rokia SANOGO, Professeur Pharmacie, Mali, Elom AHAVI, Artiste, Togo, Maktar DIOUF, Professeur Economiste, Sénégal, Apollinaire Duicasse GADA, Ameenah GURIB-FAKIM, Ex-Présidente de la République, Ile Maurice Activiste – GRH, Bénin, Aminata Dramane TRAORE, Ecrivaine, Mali, François BOKO, Consultant – Avocat, France Frédéric GAKPARA, Auteur – artiste et promoteur culturel, Togo, Tido BRASSIER, Juriste, France, Cheikh Hamala DIOP, Economiste – Interprète – Traducteur, Sénégal, Issac NDIAYE, Professeur Philosophie, Mali, Gnimdéwa ATAKPAMA, Expert média et communication, Acteur Politique, Togo, Cheikh FALL, Président d’Africtivistes, activiste de la démocratie, Sénégal, Pierre S. ADJETE, Auteur – Spécialiste en Ethique politique, Canada, Elhajj Mohamed Madi DJABAKATE, Politologue – Président Honoraire du CGPDC, Togo, Yoro DIAKITE, Professeur Mathématiques, France47) Koulsy LAMKO, Ecrivain, Mexique, Clément KLUTSE, Acteur politique, Allemagne, Kodzo AHAV, Artiste, Togo, Thimothy JOHN, Interprète de Conférence, Nigeria, Alphonse JULIO, Journaliste Indépendant, Bénin OUMAROU Abdourahamane, Président de l’Union des Patriotes Panafricanistes UNPP INCIN AFRICA, Niger, Monzolouwè B.E. ATCHOLI KAO, Association des Victimes de la Torture, Togo, Abdou Khafor KANDJI, Y’en a Marre, Sénégal,Jean Sylvanus OLYMPIO, Entrepreneur, France, Amidou LIDA, Juriste, Togo, Boni Richard, OUOROU, Politologue, Canada, Alexis IHOU, Avocat, France, Raphaël Nyama KPANDE-ADZARE, Avocat, France, Karl GABA, Coordonnateur général du Collectif TogoDebout, France, Kokou Philippe AMEDODJI, SG Diaspora Togolaise, Belgique, Sokey EDORH, Artiste Plasticien, Togo, Laya DJONABAYE, Plate-forme de Concertation de la Diaspora, Tchad, Victor Nzuzi MBEMBE, Coordonnateur NAD, République Démocratique du Congo, Faustin Sanvi SODJI, Chef d’Entreprise, France,Tito FERNADES, Professeur retraité, Mozambique, COULIBALY Kadida, Ex-porte-parole ONUCI, Coumba KEITA, Consultante – Militante Panafricaniste, Madieye MBODJ, Professeur de Lettre retraité, Sénégal,Yoporeka SOMET, Philosophe-Egyptologue, Kenya, Nathaniel OLYMPIO, Acteur politique, Togo, Bara NDIAYE, Responsable Diaspora sénégalaise, France, Ricardo Aklesso AGOUZOU, Président Mouvement Flambeau du Peuple, Togo, Alexandre NUNEZ, Administrateur de Données, France.