LIVE: ECOWAS Chiefs Of Staff To Convene In Ghana On Thursday And Friday

The Chiefs of Staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet on Thursday and Friday in Ghana to discuss a possible military intervention in Niger, according to an organization spokesperson. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Malian junta leader Assimi Goïta have called for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. Follow the situation in Niger hour by hour.

2 min

13:17: ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff meeting on Thursday and Friday in Ghana

The Chiefs of Staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet on Thursday and Friday in Ghana to discuss a possible military intervention in Niger, according to an organization spokesperson.

This meeting, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, had been postponed. It will take place one week after the decision by the ECOWAS leaders to deploy the organization’s “standby force” to restore Mohamed Bazoum, the President of Niger, who was overthrown by a military coup on July 26.

11:57: Vladimir Putin and Malian leader Assimi Goïta call for a peaceful resolution

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Malian leader Assimi Goïta discussed the crisis in Niger, the Kremlin announced, and advocated for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

During this phone call, which was “at the initiative of Mali,” Vladimir Putin and Assimi Goïta “highlighted the importance of resolving the situation around the Republic of Niger solely through peaceful political and diplomatic means,” the Russian presidency said in a statement.

Highlights of August 14

The perpetrators of the coup in Niger announced on Sunday evening their intention to “pursue” overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and “endangering the security” of the country.

On the other hand, ECOWAS stated in a statement that these threats of legal action constitute a new “provocation” by the military authorities in Niamey.

On , the Nigerien diplomat Hassoumi Massoudou estimated that President Bazoum was a victim of a “hostage taking” and “sequestration,” but that the situation was “reversible.”

With AFP and Reuters