11 August, 2023, Addis Ababa: 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 Chairperson expresses his deep concern at the reported poor conditions of detention of President Mohamed Bazoum. Indeed, concordant sources attest to a worrying deterioration of such conditions.

The Chairperson calls on the military authorities 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.

Such treatment of a democratically elected president through a regular electoral process is unacceptable.

The Chairperson further calls for the immediate release of President Bazoum and all members of his family and government who are illegally detained with him. Their detention flies in the face of Nigerien law and the founding principles of the AU and ECOWAS.

The Chairperson calls on the entire international community to unite efforts to save the moral and physical integrity of President Mohamed Bazoum.