The defense chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries excluding Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Niger, pose for a group photo during their extraordinary meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, Aug 4, 2023, to discuss the situation in Niger. (PHOTO / AP)

ABUJA - Defense chiefs of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet in Accra, Ghana, from Thursday to Friday to finalize plans for the deployment of a standby force to Niger, the ECOWAS Commission said on Wednesday.

The two-day extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff is a "follow-up" to the directive of ECOWAS leaders at their urgent meeting on the political situation in Niger held last week in Abuja, Nigeria, said the ECOWAS Commission in a statement.

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ECOWAS leaders decided at the extraordinary summit last week to activate the regional standby force in response to the recent coup in Niger, while underscoring their continued commitment to restore constitutional order in the country through peaceful means.