The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS or CEDEAO) rejected today the declaration of the leader of the junta in Niger – General Abduraman Chiani, who overthrew the elected president Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 of a “transitional period that will not exceed “three years”.

“The three-year transition period is not acceptable,” said ECOWAS commissioner Abdul Fatta Musa in an interview with Al Jazeera broadcast today.

“We wish for the restoration of constitutional order as soon as possible“, he emphasized.

The day before yesterday, Saturday, her delegation ECOWAS led by former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar went to Niger for negotiations with the coup plotters in an attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

In contrast to the previous ECOWAS diplomatic initiative earlier this month, this time the delegation held talks with General Chiani while also meeting ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who is in custody.

The junta leader on Saturday accused ECOWAS of preparing an attack on Niger with the support of foreign troops – but without naming a specific country.

He warned that Niger’s armed forces are ready to defend themselves in the event of an attack, noting that “it will not be a healthy walk, as some believe».

The Economic Community of West African States is demanding the immediate release of Niger’s president-elect and his reinstatement. It has imposed heavy economic sanctions on Niger since July 30 and appears ready to launch a military intervention, without revealing a timetable or details of such an operation.

Niger is the fourth West African country to experience a coup since 2020, following Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.

The international community does not hide its concern about destabilization in the wider Sahel region, which is facing jihadist insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.