West African Leaders to Meet On Niger After Junta Defies Deadline

West African leaders say they will meet on Thursday August 9, to discuss the crisis in Niger after the country’s military rulers defied a deadline to reinstate the ousted president or face a possible military intervention.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said it would hold an extraordinary summit Thursday in Abuja, the capital of neighboring Nigeria, according to spokesperson Emos Lungu.
After the ECOWAS deadline passed Sunday for Niger’s military to stand down and restore President Mohammed Bazoum, military leaders there issued a pledge to defend the country and closed Niger’s airspace.

“Niger’s armed forces and all our defense and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory,” a junta representative said in a statement on national television.
The spokesman said any attempt to fly over the country will be met with “an energetic and immediate response.”
International airlines have begun to divert flights around Niger’s airspace. The United Nations said its humanitarian flights have also been grounded because of the closed airspace.
Also Monday, neighboring Mali said it and Burkina Faso would send a delegation of officials to Niger to show support for the military rulers.
Both countries – which have fallen to military coups in recent years – have said military intervention in Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war.
Nigeria’s Senate urged the bloc to focus on political and diplomatic options instead of the use of force.
Italy urged ECOWAS to extend the deadline for the Niger’s military leaders back down and called for a diplomatic solution.