Niger coup: West African defence chiefs meet to discuss potential military force
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00:00 in Accra to decide on the next step to take in Niger.
00:04 Military leaders from the West African bloc, ECOWAS, have already agreed to form a stand-by
00:08 force to restore constitutional order in the coup-stricken country.
00:13 They have yet to commit to an intervention, but they underline the importance of a response
00:18 to last month's coup d'etat.
00:20 "I would like to remind us all that the purpose of our gathering is not simply to react to
00:25 events, but to proactively chart a course that preserves peace, promotes stability and
00:31 opposes democratic principles across our region.
00:35 We must remember that our collective actions today will shape the legacy we leave for future
00:39 generations."
00:40 The summit's host, Ghana, sounded the alarm about the risk to democracy after the latest
00:46 coup in the Sahel region.
00:48 "If presidential guards in Guinea and Niger are used away, take hostage their president,
00:57 nobody, and let me repeat, nobody in West Africa is safe."
01:02 There has been little headway made in getting the junta, which toppled the democratically
01:06 elected president Mohamed Bazoun last month, to agree to talks.
01:11 ECOWAS says the blame lies squarely with the junta.
01:14 "Even as they are telling us that they are ready for talks, they are still seeking reasons
01:22 to justify an unjustifiable coup d'etat."
01:27 The coup also poses a threat to anti-terrorist efforts in the region, with French and US
01:32 troops in Niger suspending operations last month.
01:36 Seventeen Nigerian soldiers were killed in a suspected ambush by jihadists in the west
01:41 of the country on Tuesday.