ECOWAS to finalize Niger deployment plans this week

Aug. 16 (UPI) -- The defense chiefs of more than a dozen West African nations will meet this week to finalize plans for the deployment of its Standby Force to Niger, where signs that the recent ousting of its democratic government and subsequent political turmoil is threatening security in the region may be beginning to show.

Niger, a Western ally in the turbulent Sahel region, fell in a coup July 26. Since then, the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States intergovernmental union, of which Niamey is a member, has been threatening military intervention if the usurping National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland does not reinstate the government of President Mohamed Bazoum, who appears to be under house arrest.

The ECOWAS had given the junta an ultimatum to reinstate civilian rule earlier this month, but after that deadline passed, its military chiefs activated the union's Standby Force and ordered its deployment "to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger" while leaving open the possibility for negotiations for a peaceful resolution.

What activation and deployment of its Standby Force meant was unclear and remained so Wednesday when it said in a statement that its chiefs of defense will meet Thursday and Friday in Accra, Ghana, "to finalize plans" for its deployment.

It said that the meetings will be "a follow-up" of the directive given Aug. 10 to activate and deploy the unknown number of troops.

In response to the ultimatum ECOWAS had given it early this month, Niger's junta force preemptively closed its airspace, citing the threat of foreign intervention.

Niger, which has grown in stability over the last few years, has also grown as a key U.S. partner in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region, and the coup, which the military has justified by pointing at extremist violence, has raised fears of Islamic insurgent violence increasing in the West African nation and region.

On Tuesday, Nigerien soldiers were ambushed by insurgents in the southwestern part of the country, resulting in 17 killed and 20 wounded.

The ECOWAS said in a statement Wednesday that it has learned "with sadness" of various attacks by armed groups in Niger that have led to several deaths.

The intergovernmental union, which condemned the deaths, called on the CNSP to restore constitutional order "in order to focus on the security of the country that has become increasingly fragile since the attempted coup d'etat against the democratically elected president, H.E. Mohamed Bazoum."

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Wednesday also warned of the coup's potential impact on the country's ongoing food security situation.

More than 3 million people were considered severely food insecure during the months of June to August prior to the coup and the World Food Program is warning that some 7.3 million moderately food-insecure people could see their situation worsen amid the political crisis.

"Humanitarian exemptions to sanctions and border closures are required to avert a rapid deterioration of the food security and malnutrition situation," the OCHA said in a statement.

"In addition, humanitarian organizations require immediate confirmation of new resources to enable timely and at-scale responses."

A response plan for Niger is asking for some $584 million but only 39% has been funded, it said, adding that the food security and malnutrition needs represent more than a third of all humanitarian requirements but are less than 27% funded.