The leader of the military junta in Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has firmly declared that none of the three Sahel countries will rejoin the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Tchiani made this declaration during an interview with the RTN news channel in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Monday.
Parallel Facts recalls that the military administrations in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger jointly announced their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS on January 28.
However, while making the withdrawal threat, the leaders of the three Sahel nations emphasized that it was a “sovereign decision” to promptly exit the group.
“Just because we are members of the bloc, food and medicine supply was cut off. Power was also cut off and our own funds have been freezed. So, we consulted our friends in the Sahel on exiting the bloc to better the life of our citizens. That we should withdraw from the bloc that is answerable to the foreign countries. So, we have withdrawn our membership from the bloc and would never return to the union,” he said.
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In response to the implications of its withdrawal on security, trade and socio-economic activities, he said, “Now the world is a global village and is the world within ECOWAS? So, God will feed every human He created.
“We would never release Bazoum. Setting Bazoum free is akin to stabbing ourselves in the stomach which would do harm to Nigeriens,” he added.