Niger Coup: ECOWAS Vows To Hold Russia Responsible If Wagner Violates Human Rights
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has stated that it will hold Russia accountable if the Wagner Group, a private military contractor from Eastern Europe, violates human rights in the aftermath of the Niger coup. An official from the West African bloc made this assertion.
Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, appeared on Channels Television’s “Sunrise Daily” program
Musah mentioned that another West African country had a distinct arrangement with the Wagner Group, which is currently reported to be present in Mali due to an agreement between the Malian government and the Russian Federation.
“We will take them at their word, meaning that if any actions result in human rights violations or devastation in our region by these private military contractors, we will hold the responsible countries in our region accountable,” Musah explained.
When questioned if he was referring to Russia, the ECOWAS official clarified, “Yes, Russia — we will hold them accountable diplomatically. The West African region does not equate to Russia.”
Musah pointed out that private military companies have been involved in African conflicts for a considerable period. He noted their presence during the civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia and highlighted their current use in global conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
“While these groups are present, we find them unacceptable in Africa, and we will make their countries of origin responsible for any breaches,” he emphasized.
Musah also highlighted the current involvement of Western forces like France and the European Union (EU) in Niger. He noted that the region has also seen the influence of Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to Russia and China.
He emphasized that the goal is to prevent West Africa from becoming a battleground for proxy wars once again. He expressed the stance that private military companies should not interfere in the conflict environment within the region due to the potential consequences of their actions
