Riyadh and Ottawa said the decision to restore "full" diplomatic ties came after high-level talks in November last year. Ties were severed in 2018 after Canada called on Saudi Arabia to release arrested activists.

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The West African economic bloc, ECOWAS, has given coup leaders in Niger one week to cede power and reinstate the country's democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum — or face possible military intervention.

Defense chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) say they finalized a plan for a potential military intervention in Niger. The regional bloc has given coup leaders in Niger until Sunday to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum.

The military junta said it shuttered the country's airspace because of the "threat of intervention." An ECOWAS demand to restore President Bazoum or risk military action has now expired.

Pressure mounts on Niger's military junta to re-install the democratic government. The US says there is still time for a diplomatic exit to the crisis, as ECOWAS threatens military intervention to restore President Bazoum to power. Meanwhile, France slashes millions in aid to Burkina Faso in response to its support for Niger's junta. And lastly, Senegal's most prominent opposition leader is hospitalised, following a hunger strike in prison. Ousmane Sonko began refusing food late last month in protest at what he says are politically motivated charges.

In Niger, the country's new military rulers refused to allow a West African peace mission to visit from neighboring Nigeria. Niger's junta appears unwilling to back down, even as other countries impose sanctions and trade restrictions.

Niger's political scene became more complex on Wednesday as former rebel Rhissa Ag Boula announced a new Council of Resistance for the Republic (CRR) aimed at reinstating deposed Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum.

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Niger's coup leaders say they will prosecute deposed President Mohamed Bazoum for "high treason." Earlier, they reportedly said they were willing to negotiate with the West African bloc ECOWAS.

Niger's junta on Tuesday said that it was open to talks to resolve a regional crisis caused by last month's military coup, while Russia and the United States called for a peaceful resolution.

Niger's coup leader said "our ambition is not to confiscate power." This comes as an ECOWAS delegation arrived for peace talks after indicating a standby force was ready to intervene.