Context: The military of Niger recently overthrew the democratic government citing deterioration of security and poor economic and social governance.

• The regional bloc ECOWAS or the Economic Community of West African States has been playing an active role in Niger.

Political history of Niger

• Niger was a French colony until 1960 and faced a long period of instability post-independence by four military coups between 1974 and 2010.

• It has also faced the rise of Islamist extremist groups, armed local militias supported by stretched state security forces to counter the jihadist threat.

• It resulted in violence and displacement.

• It saw a semblance of political stability after 2011 due to democratically elected President.

• The elite troops of Niger declared military coup and detained the serving President in 2023.

• It suspended all institutions in the country, closed the borders, and imposed a curfew.

• It was in response to the degradation of security situation linked to jihadist bloodshed.

The pattern in Sahel region

• The Sahel region is made up of six Francophone countries- Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.

• It is the African region separating the Sahara Desert in the north from the tropics to the south.

• After independence from the French, these countries have faced long periods of political instability, economic and ethnic strife, violence over control of natural resources, and the adverse impacts of climate change.

• The multifold issues of weak governments, engaging in corruption, and lack of economic and social progress, led to military takeovers of elected regimes.

• The coup attempts in Africa remained remarkably consistent at an average of around four a year between 1960 and 2000.

• There was an influx of extremists and arms into the Sahel at the tri-border region between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

• Former colonial actor France stepped in with military support for local armed forces in the Sahel to prevent the resurgence of non-state armed groups across the region.

• A French-led Operation Serval started in 2013, targeted Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaeda and later scaled up as Operation Barkhane.

• The period also saw widespread human rights violations by security forces and increased recruiting to fight the crisis.

• It also resulted in several military takeovers, justified by inability of civilian governments to ensure economic stability and national security against extremists.

• The coup plotters capitalized on the anti-French sentiment in sections of the populace and gained support for ousting leaders seen as pro-Western.

• There’s no concrete evidence that military takeovers restore stability and bring down violence.

• The reported deaths from political violence increased by 77% in Burkina Faso and 150% in Mali.

What is ECOWAS?

• ECOWAS is the Economic Community of West African States, also known as CEDEAO in French.

• It is a regional group established in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty, with a mandate of promoting economic integration among its members.

• 15 members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

• Around 400 million people live in this region.

• Its aims are to have a single common currency and create a single, large trading bloc in areas of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, financial issues, and social and cultural matters.

• It is meant to be a region governed in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance.

ECOWAS in Conflict Resolution

• Regional Peacekeeping: ECOWAS has played a role in resolving conflicts by deploying peacekeeping missions. Notable examples include ECOMOG’s involvement in Liberia and Sierra Leone during the 1990s and early 2000s.

• Gambia Crisis: In 2017, ECOWAS intervened in Gambia, ensuring the peaceful transfer of power after then-President Yahya Jammeh refused to step down following an election defeat.

• Challenges and Successes: While ECOWAS has effectively resolved conflicts in some cases, it faces challenges due to differing interests among member countries and evolving security threats.

ECOWAS’s Response to Niger Coup

• Potential Military Intervention: ECOWAS has hinted at possible military intervention in Niger. However, regional challenges, including shared borders with other military-led nations, could complicate intervention plans.

• Support for Coups: Some military coups in West Africa have been justified by leaders citing terrorism and security challenges, accusing civilian governments of inadequacy.

• Security Situation: The ECOWAS Commission President reported a significant rise in terrorist attacks in the region, with a substantial death toll and refugees fleeing the violence.

What is the Role of ECOWAS in the issue?

• ECOWAS suspended Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso owing to military coups, and refused to recognize their new governments.

• It indicated a military intervention, but Mali and Burkina Faso would support Niger coup in case of attack.

• ECOWAS stated in the UN Security Council about incidents of terrorist attacks, fatalities and half a million refugees recorded in the region.

• The longstanding measures of economic sanctions and low economic growth prospects may lead to grave situations.

About Niger

• Niger is a vast, arid country in West Africa with a population of about 25 million.

It is bordered by

• Algeria in the northwest,

• Libya in the northeast,

• Chad in the east,

• Nigeria and Benin in the south,

• Burkina Faso and Mali in west.

The country takes its name from the Niger River, which flows through the southwestern part of its territory.

• It is one of the poorest in the world and has ranked low on the Human Development Index over the decades.

• It is vulnerable to extreme weather effects of climate change which threatens food security.

• It consists of gold mining reserves and 5-7% of the global production of uranium.