Algeria does not want a war on its borders. The country is not losing hope of avoiding the armed intervention that the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is preparing to make in Niger. Foreign minister Ahmed Attaf has started Wednesday, August 23 a tour to Nigeria, Benin and Ghana in that regard.

Attaf’s mission in these three West African countries was announced through a statement of the ministry of Foreign affairs, published Wednesday. “Foreign affairs and national community abroad minister, Mr. Ahmed Attaf, tasked by the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, will begin today work visits to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Benin and the Republic of Ghana, in order to hold consultations with his counterparts from these countries, which are Ecowas members”, said the Foreign ministry in its statement.

The aim of Ahmed Attaf’s trip to these three Ecowas member states, as anyone can guess, is related to looking for a political and therefore peaceful settlement to the crisis in Niger. “Consultations will be about the crisis in Niger and the ways to deal with it, through contributing a political solution that can spare this country and the entire region the consequences of a probable escalation of the situation”, the Foreign ministry added.

On Monday, August 21, Algerian radio reported on its website that Algerian authorities had rejected a French request for a flight over Algerian airspace in order to militarily intervene in Niger. French army leadership reacted the following day through a statement to Reuters in which it denied making such a request to Algerian authorities. The threat of a military intervention in Niger, including from Ecowas states, came along as a reaction to the coup perpetrated by high ranking officers from the presidential guard who overthrew President Bazoum on July 26, 2023 and took power since.