US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mohamed discussed developments in Niger and Sudan in a phone call on Wednesday.
In a statement, the State Department said Blinken and Faki Mohammed reiterated their shared priorities of immediately releasing Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum and urging respect for the rule of law and public safety.
The two sides also welcomed regional leadership and cooperation as necessary to restore constitutional order in Niger.
Blinken and Faki stressed that there is no acceptable military solution to the conflict in Sudan. They discussed coordinated efforts to end the fighting and the urgent need for unhindered humanitarian access and the commitment of all parties to respect human rights.
They agreed that outside intervention and military support from the warring parties would only intensify and prolong the conflict.
The Secretary of State also expressed grave concern at the increasing violence and reports of atrocities in Darfur.
UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel Leonardo Santos Simao stressed the importance of a peaceful solution to the crisis in Niger.
He warned that the security situation in the region could deteriorate rapidly if the situation in Niger is not resolved, affecting the lives of the population and development in a country where 4.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Simao stressed the importance of the extraordinary summit held by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) last Sunday in Abuja. He said that the UN continued to support ECOWAS efforts to restore constitutional order and support democratic gains in Niger.
The UN official said that the week-long period granted by ECOWAS to Niger’s government leaders is an attempt to make way for a peaceful settlement.
