Niger junta rejects diplomatic overtures from ECOWAS, UN, US

Niger’s junta on Tuesday rejected the latest diplomatic mission from African countries aimed at restoring constitutional order after a July 26 coup.

Junta resisted pressure from the United States and the United Nations to come to the negotiating table.

Heads of State from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are preparing for a summit on Thursday to discuss their standoff with the Niger junta, which defied an Aug. 6 deadline to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

The possibility of military intervention will be discussed but ECOWAS has said it is a last resort.

The African Union (AU) sent a joint mission with representatives of the UN and ECOWAS to Niger on Tuesday but they were denied permission to enter the country by the junta, which has closed Niger’s airspace, French magazine Jeune Afrique reported.