Accra, 24 August, 2023 / 9:25 pm (ACI Africa).
Any military move against those behind Niger’s July 26 military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum from power will worsen the “already precarious situation” of the West African nation, members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) have said.
In their Thursday, August 24 statement shared with ACI Africa, GCBC members fault the threats that officials Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been making to invade Niger militarily, and advocate for the application of “diplomacy in handling the situation.”
“We, as a Conference, are opposed to any military intervention against the coup makers in Niger, as this will exacerbate the already precarious situation in that country where civilians such as women, children, aged, weak and vulnerable in society are bearing the biggest brunt of the chaotic situation,” GCBC members say.
They add that “it is the position of the Conference that ECOWAS and its leaders should explore diplomacy in handling the situation”, and express the confidence that “this approach will enable all parties and the mediators to speedily design long lasting solutions to the situation in Niger.”
“This will require further engagements with the coup leaders to discuss a concrete roadmap for the situation,” Catholic Bishops in Ghana say.