Niamey – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has officially recognized the overthrow of former President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger by a military coup and has subsequently suspended the country from its decision-making bodies. This decision was announced in a press release by ECOWAS, following the summit held on December 10, 2023.

According to Burkina Information Agency, ECOWAS initially viewed the situation in Niger as an attempted coup d’état and continued to recognize Mohamed Bazoum as the President of the Republic of Niger and Head of State. As a result of this stance, Niger had not been suspended from ECOWAS decision-making bodies, and members of the Bazoum government were authorized to represent Niger at ECOWAS statutory meetings.

However, the press release further stated that the Summit of December 10 acknowledged that the regime of Mohamed Bazoum had indeed been effectively overthrown by a military coup. As a consequence, ECOWAS announced that Niger would be suspended from all its decision-making bodies from December 10, 2023, onwards, until the restoration of constitutional order in the country.

This suspension marks a significant development in the regional organization’s response to the political situation in Niger, emphasizing ECOWAS’s commitment to constitutional governance in its member states.