use was sort of messages to send to militaries or other people that would try to overthrow democratically elected governments. there isn t another way for these estates to try to show a collect of point of view. and so i think you have to acknowledge that under thing all the states have acknowledge that. the views used these kinds of things in other instances. niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. the impact of closing the borders to nigeria, for example, cutting off its electricity sharing with niger is hard for a westerner to imagine, an particularly, to imagine, an particularly, to imagine, ithink imagine, an particularly, to imagine, i think the impact has been very heavy, but it is also supposed to be telling a message to the junta that they need to engage in serious discussions to get the country out of this serious crisis. [30
bisa williams, thank you indeed forjoining us this evening. ecowas has activated a standby force ready to invade niger should the military faction continue to hold onto its power and should ecowas deemed that thatis and should ecowas deemed that that is needed. do you support that is needed. do you support that use of force? i’zfe that use of force? i ve personally that use of force? i ve personally think - that use of force? i ve personally think that i that use of force? i ve| personally think that is that use of force? i ve - personally think that is the most important instrument that ecowas can use as a last resort. ecowas can use as a last resort- ecowas can use as a last resort. , . , resort. they are using the justification resort. they are using the justification for resort. they are using the justification for that - resort. they are using the justification for that is - resort. they are using the justification for that is the potential for contagion in the region and
the new us ambassador to niger, kathleen fitzgibbon there, this week, obviously a post that you held yourself in the past. is that an important thing for the us government to do at this point? it is important for kathleen fitzgibbon, who was a career diplomat, to be posted to niger at this time. but it is not, i don t think, linked, i m pretty sure it s not linked to the idea that the united states is sending signals. in fact, kathleen was nominated over a year ago, our own domestic situation held up, i think, her being confirmed. she was finally confirmed i think latejuly, 27july also and so now they are sending her to post. but this is a crisis period in niger and our embassy needs professional, experienced leadership and kathleen represents that. and i think that s also important for the government to understand, for
i do think the window is, small, think the timeline is short for that and the longer that this kind of period, this period lasts, the worse it is for the nigerian people and the worse it is for mohamed bazoum the worse it is for this little coup group as well. the real hostages in this situation are of course president bazoum and his family and the nigerian people. and the military, all the military, notjust this little group that appear on television, but the rank and file ought to see that, and i think that s also now what the leadership at ecowas is conscious of. bisa williams former us ambassador to niger, thank you so much for being with us. you re welcome. thank you. earlier, my colleague caitriona perry spoke to the chairman of the house intelligence committee republican mike turner
nigeria. chris ewokor, bbc news, sokoto, at the border with niger. i spoke to a former state department official earlier to get insights into the crisis in niger. joining me now is bisa williams, former us ambassador to niger. you so much for taking the time to be with us today. we are now learning more about the acting deputy secretary of state s unsuccessful secretary of state s u nsuccessful attem pts secretary of state s unsuccessful attempts to u nsuccessful attem pts to negotiate some unsuccessful attempts to negotiate some kind of settlement to see a return to power of president mohamed bazoum. why do you think she wasn t able to make any progress there?- wasn t able to make any progress there? i m not sure i would characterise progress there? i m not sure i would characterise that - progress there? i m not sure i would characterise that is - would characterise that is unsuccessful completely. my understanding was that the acting deputy secretary left the door open for continu