ECOWAS chairman says diplomacy is the ‘best way forward’ on Niger crisis

A street vendor pushes his cart past burnt cars outside the headquarters of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum's Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism in Niamey on August 7, 2023. © AFP

Nigerian President and current ECOWAS chair Bola Tinubu said on Tuesday that diplomacy is the ‘best way forward’ to resolve the crisis in coup-hit Niger. The statement came after the junta in Niamey said it could not host a mission from the West African bloc for security reasons. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken earlier told FRANCE 24’s sister radio station RFI that diplomacy is the ‘preferred way’ to resolve the situation. Read our liveblog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).

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