Niger military-appointed civilian prime minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, paid an unexpected visit to Chad on Tuesday.
Following his meeting with Chadian President, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, Zeine said he had message of “good neighbourliness and good fraternity” from the Niger leadership.
He said, “We are in a process of transition, we discussed the ins and outs and reiterated our availability to remain open and talk with all parties, but insist on our country’s independence.”
His visit came hours after regional sources reported military chiefs from ECOWAS would meet in Ghana on Thursday and Friday following the approved deployment of ECOWAS standby force to restore democracy in Niger.
Deby, who was appointed following a coup, has served as a mediator in the Niger crisis. He came to the country immediately after elected president Mohamed Bazoum was ousted and met with both Bazoum and the coup leaders.
Frances Ibiefo
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