Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 1164th meeting held on 28 July 2023, on the Situation in the Republic of Niger:

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its earlier decisions and pronouncement on the situation in Niger, in particular communiqués [PSC/AHG/COMM.2 (CCVII)] of 29 October 2009;  [PSC/PR/COMM.2 (CCXVII)] of 19 February 2010; [PSC/PR/COMM(CCLXVI)] of 16 March 2011; and press statements [PSC/PR/BR.2 (CCXX)] of 11 March 2010; [PSC/PR/BR.1 (CCXXXII)] of 17 June 2010; and [PSC/PR/BR(CCXVIII)] of 13 November 2010;

Noting the Statement of the Chairperson of the Commission issued on 26 July 2023; the communique issued by the Commission of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) on 26 July 2023 and the Communique No. 2 of the ECOWAS issued on 27 July 2023;

Mindful of the relevant provisions of the AU Constitutive Act and the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, particularly Article 7 (g) and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; 

Noting the remarks by H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Lamine Thiaw, PSC Chairperson for July 2023 and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Senegal to the AU; and the briefing by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; and the statement by H.E. Ambassador Amadou Hassane Mai Dawa of the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Niger to the AU; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council,

1. Expresses deep concern over the alarming resurgence of military coups d’état which undermine democracy, peace, security and stability in the Continent; and reiterates its zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government in line with Article 4(p) of the AU Constitutive Act and reaffirms total adherence to the AU normative frameworks on illegal takeover of governments on the Continent, in line with the Declaration [Ext/Assembly/AU/Decl.(XVI)] on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government, adopted by the 16th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in May 2022 and the Accra Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes of Government of March 2022 adopted in Accra, Ghana;

2. Condemns in the strongest terms possible, the military coup d’état in the Republic of Niger, which resulted in the ousting of a democratically elected President, H.E. Mohamed Bazoum on 26 July 2023; 

3. Demands the military personnel to immediately and unconditionally return to their barracks and restore constitutional authority, within a maximum period of fifteen (15) days from the date of the adoption of the present Communiqué;

4. Also demands the immediate and unconditional release of H.E. President Mohamed Bazoum and all other detainees, and respect of human rights, including protection of their physical health and moral integrity and warns that Council, will take necessary action, including punitive measures against the perpetrators, should the rights of political detainees not be respected; 

5. Commends the efforts of the ECOWAS under the leadership of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the deployment of H.E Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin as the Special Envoy to Niger, while welcoming the convening of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government scheduled for 30 July 2023 in Abuja, Nigeria; looks forward to the outcome of the Summit;

6. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to continue to closely monitor the situation, work in close coordination with ECOWAS and regional actors and brief the Council, as soon as possible;

7. Reaffirms the solidarity and resolute support of the AU to the people of Niger; and

8. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS