ECOWAS defense chiefs discuss Niger coup in Ghana
(18 Aug 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Accra, Ghana - 17 August 2023
1. Various of military officials arriving at summit venue
HEADLINE: ECOWAS defense chiefs discuss Niger coup in Ghana
2. Exterior of venue
ANNOTATION: West African military chiefs have met in Accra after a deadline passed for Niger's coup leaders to reinstate the president or face intervention.
3. Delegates seated
ANNOTATION: They discussed the next steps in their goal of restoring Niger's democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, who was overthrown in July.
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, Nigeria chief of Defence Staff:
“As we grapple with the complexities of the situation in the Republic of Niger, let us not forget that the heart of our discussions are the lives of millions of people who yearn for stability, peace, and progress. We must not allow the people of Niger to suffer needlessly.”
5. Various of meeting
ANNOTATION: It was the first meeting since ECOWAS ordered the deployment of a “standby force” to restore constitutional rule in the country.
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dominic Nitiwul, Ghana Defence Minister:
“If presidential guards in Guinea and Niger, I would use the word 'take hostage' their president, nobody, and let me repeat, nobody in West Africa is safe.”
7. Wide of group photo with attending military leaders and other dignitaries
8. Ghana Military marching
ANNOTATION: A force would likely consist of several thousand soldiers from the region and could take months to prepare, say conflict experts.
ANNOTATION: It was unclear if or when troops would intervene.
STORYLINE:
West African military chiefs have met in Accra after a deadline passed for Niger's coup leaders to reinstate the president or face intervention.
They discussed the next steps in their stated goal of restoring Niger's democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, who was overthrown in July.
It was the first meeting since ECOWAS ordered the deployment of a “standby force” to restore constitutional rule in the country.
A force would likely consist of several thousands soldiers from the region and could take months to prepare, say conflict experts.
It was unclear if or when troops would intervene.
ECOWAS has a poor track record in stemming the region’s rampant coups: neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali have each had two within three years.
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