PeacePro, a think tank, Foundation for Peace Professionals has called on the leadership of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU) to assist Niger Republic facilitate peaceful ejection of foreign military bases without escalating tension.
PeacePro said following Niger Republic termination of agreement and notice to United States of America for the immediate evacuation of its military base in the West African country, the regional body should be seen to be aiding the desire of the people of Niger to ensure its country is free of foreign military presence.
In a statement Sunday by the executive director of PeacePro, Amb Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group said AU and ECOWAS’s duty is to aid its member states in their independent quest for economic and security stability, while leveraging on their shared objective to advance regional solidarity.
Hamzat said AU and ECOWAS cannot stand by and watch while Niger Republic goes through the process of negotiating an end to foreign military presence in its country alone and then expect member states to see the regional body as a shield that is worthy of being regarded in charting a future for themselves.
It should be noted that Niger Republic had earlier ejected another western military base (France ) in the country.
Blueprint recall that PeacePro had in its maiden edition of the Africa Peace Insight (API) report in Nigeria, in October 2023 called on AU and other regional bodies in the continent to facilitate an end to foreign military presence in Africa within the next 24 months.