Niger Coup: Catholic Bishops Conference Warns Against Plan By ECOWAS To Use Military Force Against Junta

• The Catholic Bishops Conference has kicked against a plan by ECOWAS to invade the junta in Niger
• The Conference said in a statement dated August 24, 2023, that an invasion would escalate the security situation in the sub-region
• The statement signed by Most Rev Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, urged ECOWAS to use diplomacy to deal with the Niger crisis

The central body of the Catholic Church in Ghana has warned against the plan by ECOWAS to invade Niger with military force and restore a constitutional regime.

The influential Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has said in a statement dated August 24, 203, that the overthrow of Mohamed Bazoum by the military on July 26, while unfortunate does not warrant the planned military intervention.

The Conference is worried that the West African sub-region has already been plagued with a series of coups d'etat after years.

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"It is the position of the Conference that the idea of an ECOWAS military intervention for the restoration of constitutional regime in Niger should not even be contemplated," the statement signed by Most Rev Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, said.

The Conference said the planned military intervention is a bad idea because already Mali and Burkina Faso have dispatched warplanes to Niger in response to a potential military intervention by ECOWAS.

"It is the position of the Conference that ECOWAS and its leaders should explore diplomacy in handling the situation," the statement appealed.

The Conference urged ECOWAS leaders to engage with the military junta to discuss a concrete roadmap for the situation.

Security analyst Col Festus Aboagye (rtd) recently made a similar suggestion during an exclusive interview with YEN.com.gh.

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"The Conference is confident that this approach will enable all parties and the mediators to speedily design long-lasting solutions to the situation in Niger," the Bishops said.

African Union suspends Republic of Niger over coup

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a related story that the Republic of Niger has been suspended as a member of the African Union (AU) with immediate effect.

The AU announced this development on Tuesday, August 22, at the AU’s Peace and Security Council meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, the AU has warned Western countries looking to interfere in the continent’s affairs to keep off.

Prof Gyampo rejects proposal to invade Niger

Also, Professor Ransford Gyampo has joined the call for a planned invasion of Niger with ECOWAS troops to be shelved.

The political science professor at the University of Ghana, Legon, said military action could backfire because the Niger junta seem ready to fight back.

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He also expressed concern about Russian and American interests in the region, which he said could turn the ECOWAS invasion into a proxy war between the two superpowers - Russia and the US.

Source: YEN.com.gh