The African Union supports the decisions taken by ECOWAS regarding the situation in Niger, according to a communique issued by the union on Friday.
"The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, expresses his strong support for the decisions adopted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on anti-constitutional change in Niger," the document read.
The chairperson also called on the military leadership in Niger "to urgently halt the escalation of relations with the regional organization ECOWAS, including the cessation of the continued sequestration of President Bazoum in worryingly poor conditions."
He stressed that such treatment of a democratically elected leaders is "unacceptable," calling for an immediate release of the president, as well as members of his family and government, "who are illegally detained with him."
An emergency summit of the 15-nation ECOWAS concluded in Nigeria's capital Abuja on Thursday, less than a day after Niger's rebel military announced the lineup of a transitional government.
Nigeria's president and the chairman of ECOWAS, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said during the summit that nothing is ruled out when it comes to the situation in Niger, including the use of force as a last resort. At the same time, he emphasized that "all is not lost for a peaceful solution, as a roadmap to restore democracy and stability in the country."
President of ECOWAS Commission Omar Alieu Touray told the summit that the bloc instructed chiefs of defense staff to immediately "activate the ECOWAS standby force" amid uncertainty over the situation in Niger and called on other countries and international organizations, including the United Nations, to support its efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger.
Earlier, the President of Cote d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, said that ECOWAS leaders had agreed to launch a military operation in Niger "as soon as possible." According to the president, the chiefs of staff of the armed forces of the ECOWAS states will hold several more meetings to clarify the details. Ouattara stressed that his country would contribute a battalion of between 850 and 1,100 men to the operation, which would also involve Benin, Nigeria and other countries.
On July 26, Niger's presidential guard, led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, removed President Bazoum from power. The coup leaders closed the country's borders, setting aside security agreements with France. Bazoum and several ministers in his government were detained.
Following the developments, ECOWAS condemned the coup and gave Nigerien rebel leaders until last Sunday to reinstate Bazoum, but the deadline passed without a response.