Germany supports Ecowas efforts

Abuja (d.de/dpa) – In Nigeria, German Development Minister Svenja Schulze has talked with Omar Touray, president of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), about the coup in neighbouring Niger. “We were in agreement that the focus must be on a peaceful solution,” explained Schulze. She assured Touray that the Sahel Alliance would support the Ecowas efforts to mediate. Schulze is currently the president of the Sahel Alliance, an international alliance for the support of the countries of the Sahel region in West and Central Africa.

It was important to her as president of the Sahel Alliance “to also discuss options for what will happen next,” the German minister explained. She said that she had agreed with Ecowas President Touray “to remain in close contact and liaise on possible next steps”.

A statement from the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin announced that Germany was supporting African efforts to resolve the crisis in Niger. It said there was support for the two-track approach decided by the Ecowas leaders, which involves continuing the negotiation efforts while at the same time activating the Ecowas rapid response force. “We support this Ecowas approach, and especially the fact that the countries are seeking to exhaust all diplomatic avenues to bring about a solution to the crisis.”