Niger clears Algeria to mediate political impasse
The Algerian government has announced that the military regime in Niger has accepted its offer of mediation to restore constitutional democracy in the West African country.
In a statement, the north African country said “The Algerian government received from Niger’s Foreign Ministry an official correspondence stating the acceptance of Algeria’s mediation aimed at developing a political solution to the existing crisis in this brotherly country.”
Algeria offered a six-month transitional period led by a civilian to resolve the political crisis in Niger in late August.
The ruling junta in Niger is yet to react to the latest development.
Algeria has repeatedly warned against military intervention in neighboring Niger following the threat by the regional ECOWAS bloc to remove the junta by force of diplomatic moves fail to yield positive results.
Niger slipped into political chaos on July 26 when Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The coup in Niger was triggered by internal politics but attracted international attention.
ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations and Western countries have pressured the junta to hand over power to civilians, while Mali and Burkina Faso have vowed to defend it should ECOWAS go ahead with its plan to intervene by force.
