The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet Thursday to discuss the situation in Niger and potential action, after the coup leaders failed to reverse course by a Sunday deadline set by the regional group. 

ECOWAS could impose economic sanctions or deploy military forces to the teetering country, where junta leader Abdourahamane Tchiani is standing by his self-imposed rule after toppling Niger President Mohamed Bazoum late last month. 

The crisis could shift the global balance of power in the region, as Niger has been a key Washington ally and hosts 1,100 U.S. troops largely deployed for counterterrorism efforts. 

Bryan Stern, founder and CEO of the international search and rescue nonprofit Project Dynamo, said the U.S. is in “a tough spot” but should send a strong message that it won’t pack up and leave by bolstering its defenses and limiting evacuations to nonessential personnel.

“We have a very, very long track record of imposing administrative things on war, which doesn’t really work,” he argued. “So we demand a guy who just overthrew a government that he leave the White House in Niger? Why would he do that?”

Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said the U.S. has paused military activity and training in Niger while it pushes for a “peaceful resolution” to the conflict, but said there was no planned withdrawal from the country.

“The United States does not want to abandon Nigeriens that we’ve partnered with,” Singh said at a Tuesday press conference, referring to joint forces stationed in Niger. 

“Niger is, of course, an important ally within the region when it comes to counterterrorism and other operations, [and] it sends an incredibly effective message that we have not changed our force posture, that we have not taken our troops out right now.”

Flights to Niger have been shut down amid the crisis, which the U.S. has so far refused to call a “coup.” Western diplomats are still working to resolve the crisis peacefully, pushing for the release of Bazoum and the restoration of the constitutional government — though the window for mediation appears to be rapidly closing.

Read the full report at TheHill.com.

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