Niger was waiting on Monday for a response from the West African regional bloc after coup leaders in Niamey ignored a deadline to reinstate the ousted president - a move the bloc has warned could lead it to authorise a military intervention.
The Economic Community of West African States has said it will issue a statement on its next steps in response to the junta'sThe bloc has taken a hard stance on the region's seventh coup in three years. Given its uranium and oil riches and its pivotal role in a war with Islamist militants, Niger also holds importance for the U.S., Europe, China and Russia.
An escalation in the standoff with ECOWAS would further destabilise one of the world's poorest regions, which is in the grip of aECOWAS defence chiefs have agreed a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike, if the detained president, Mohamed Bazoum, is not released and reinstated.
On Sunday, Italy said it had reduced its troop numbers in Niger to make room in its military base for Italian civilians who may need protection if security deteriorates. "The only way is the diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of ECOWAS, which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today," Tajani told La Stampa newspaper.
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