U.N. considers ECOWAS role in Mali Military forces in March toppled the civilian government in Mali, saying they were frustrated with the inability to copy with rebels who've declared autonomy in northern Mali. Members of the Economic Community of West African States said they were preparing a stand-by force for deployment and sought approval to send troops into Mali under a Chapter VII resolution of the U.N. Security Council. The Security Council said it "took note" of the request for the authorization of the use of force to protect Mali's territorial integrity and to combat terrorism. "The members of the Security Council expressed their readiness to further examine the request of ECOWAS once additional information has been provided regarding the objectives, means and modalities of the envisaged deployment and other possible measures," a statement read. The agency warned that the "magnitude of the emergency" required an urgent response in order to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.