The leader of the military junta in Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has promised that none of the three Sahel countries will request readmission to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Tchiani also affirmed that the junta ‘will never’ release the deposed president, Mohammed Bazoum, who was taken hostage after the July 26, 2023, coup in the country.
Recall that On January 27, 2024, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced their plans to withdraw from membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), despite repeated reconciliation efforts.
After their withdrawal, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger proposed establishment of a confederation as part of the long-term goal of uniting the West African neighbours within a federation.
The General reiterated his commitment to this stance during a recent interview with RTN news channel in the capital city of Niamey.
He said: “Just because we are members of the bloc, food and medicine supplies were cut off. Power was also cut off, and our funds have been frozen. So, we consulted our friends in the Sahel on exiting the bloc to better the lives of our citizens.
“That we should withdraw from the bloc that is answerable to the foreign countries. So, we have withdrawn our membership from the bloc and would never return to the union.
“Now that the world is a global village, is the world within ECOWAS? So, God will feed every human He created.
“We would never release Bazoum. Setting Bazoum free is akin to stabbing ourselves in the stomach which would do harm to Nigeriens,” he added.
