ECOWAS Parliament Urges Lifting of Sanctions on Niger Republic to Alleviate Humanitarian Crisis

ECOWAS Parliament Appeals for Lifting of Sanctions on Niger

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has called on the regional Heads of State and Government to lift the sanctions imposed on Niger following the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum by a military junta in July 2023.

The sanctions, which include border closures and economic restrictions, have caused significant hardship for the people of Niger, particularly those living in border regions.

The ECOWAS Parliament has expressed concern that the sanctions are disproportionately affecting innocent civilians and have not been effective in achieving their objective of restoring democratic rule in Niger.

“Children and women have been exposed to untold hardship,” said Senator Ali Ndume, a member of the ECOWAS Parliament. “No meaningful progress has been made in resolving this issue. We are appealing to ECOWAS states to lift the sanction and open the closed border between Niger and Nigeria because it is the poor that are suffering.”

The ECOWAS Parliament has urged the Heads of State to engage in dialogue with the military junta in Niger to facilitate a return to democratic rule.

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The parliament has also called for the lifting of sanctions as a gesture of goodwill to encourage the junta to cooperate with efforts to resolve the political crisis in Niger.