The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit today, 10 August, will be indicative of the regional organisation's credibility and capacity to intervene in the Nigerien crisis. ECOWAS's member states are to decide between the various options for "military intervention" and "restoring" President Mohamed Bazoum to power. They will use plans drawn up by the military chiefs of the region in Abuja from 2 to 4 August.

While the project has made good progress in theory, with at least five