WASHINGTON, July 28- On the back of the recurring coup d’état in Africa, the Vice President of the U.S., Kamala Harris, called on the president of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
She expressed her country’s worries about the future of democracy in Africa and the attendant consequences of instability in leadership.
Vice President Harris disclosed that they spoke, among other things, about defending democracy and its institutions in the West Africa region.
The two leaders discussed the state of their relations and how best to strengthen ties in order to maximize each other’s potential.
Today, I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria about the strong ties between the Nigerian and American people and our shared work on global and regional issues—from defending democracy in West Africa and the Sahel to promoting digital inclusion and economic growth. pic.twitter.com/v1or2CECKt
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 28, 2023
Vice President Harris’s phone call came through after the announcement of a coup in Niger, Nigeria’s immediate neighbor with a long border stretching into some federating states that include Jigawa, Sokoto, Katsina, Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, and Kebbi.
The coup in Niger saw the ouster of President Mohammed Bazoum by disgruntled members of the president’s guard, an action that has been widely condemned by leaders around the world.
In a message made available through her Twitter account, Vice President Harris said that she also discussed a number of issues, including strengthening ties with Nigeria and America and the need for collaboration on global issues, with the president of Nigeria.
She further stated that the issues referred to range “from defending democracy in West Africa and the Sahel to promoting digital inclusion and economic growth.”
President Harris also expressed her support for President Tinubu’s reform of Nigeria’s economy, especially as it concerns the fuel subsidy and his attempts to stabilize Nigeria’s FX market after ordering the unification of foreign currency exchange rates.
Earlier on, President Tinubu condemned the coup in Niger and vowed to ensure the sustenance of democracy in West Africa. He also reassured member states of his non-tolerance for the illegal sacking of democratically elected leaders through any means other than participatory democracy.
According to him, ECOWAS will continue to follow up and closely monitor the situation and developments in the country as discussions broke down leading to the detention of Bazoum.
Speaking about Nigeria’s position on the Niger issue, President Tinubu stated that Nigeria is for the democratically elected Niger leadership while urging West African states to continue to ensure the preservation of the constitution of their country.
