Niger junta rejects African, UN diplomatic mission
The African Union, the West African bloc ECOWAS and the UN had planned a joint diplomatic mission to Niamey. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu says diplomacy is "the way forward," but didn't rule out military intervention.
Niger's junta has denied access to a proposed diplomatic mission, an African Union spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.
The West African country's military rulers took power in a coup late last month.
The proposed mission was to be carried out jointly by the West African bloc (ECOWAS), the African Union and the UN.
This comes as the West African bloc is set to hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss a response to Niger's defiance to its ultimatum, which ECOWAS had set for the reinstating of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Last week, ECOWAS defense chiefs agreed on a possible military action plan if Bazoum was not released and reinstated. But they said any operational decisions would be taken by heads of states.
ECOWAS spokesperson Emus Lungu said the heads of state would participate in the Thursday summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, where ECOWAS is headquartered.
The Nigerien coup leaders announced on Sunday the closing of the country's airspace because of the "threat of intervention" as the ultimatum expired.
Nigeria doesn't rule out military intervention, US 'realistic' on diplomacy
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said that ECOWAS had not ruled out military intervention in Niger, even if diplomacy is the "best way forward."
"No options have been taken off of the table," he said.
Tinubu ordered new financial sanctions on Niger through Nigeria's central bank, targeting entities and individuals involved in the coup, his spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said.
The US State Department said that it had "realistic" expectations on reversing the coup.
"We do still have hope, but we are also very realistic," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
"We do have hope that the situation will be reversed but at the same time, we are making clear, including in direct conversations with junta leaders themselves, what the consequences are for failing to return to constitutional order," he said.
"We're going to keep trying, again fully recognizing how difficult that path is."
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