The Nigerien military who overthrew the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, on Monday (July 31) accused France of “wanting to intervene militarily”, the day after a summit of Niger’s West African neighbors threatened to use “force”. he was not reinstated by Sunday.
Pressure on the putschists who took power on July 26 to restore “constitutional order” is increasingly strong, coming from all of Niger’s Western and African partners, a key country in the fight against the jihadist groups that have been ravaging the countries of the Sahel for years. France and the United States deploy there respectively 1,500 and 1,100 soldiers, who participate in the fight against the jihadists.
France, a former colonial power in Niger and unfailing support of President Bazoum, appears to be the privileged target of the soldiers who have taken power. “In its line of action, going in the direction of finding ways and means to intervene militarily in Niger, France, with the complicity of certain Nigeriens, held a meeting at the staff of the National Guard of Niger , to obtain the necessary political and military authorizations” in order to restore the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, said a statement from the junta. The putschists also accused France of having fired tear gas during demonstrations in support of the junta in front of the French embassy.
French President Emmanuel Macron threatened on Sunday to respond “immediately and intractably” to any attack on French nationals and his interests in Niger, while the Quai d’Orsay recalled “the obligations incumbent on all in protection of diplomatic assets and personnel, as well as foreign residents”.
Moscow calls for a return to ‘legality’
West African countries on Sunday set a one-week ultimatum to the military junta in Niger for a “full return to constitutional order”, saying they did not rule out a “use of force”. if this was not the case.
Meeting in Abuja, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also decided to “suspend all commercial and financial transactions” between its member states and Niger, and to freeze the assets of military officials. Germany also announced that it was suspending its development aid and budget support to Niger.
Even before the Abuja summit, the putschist soldiers, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the presidential guard behind the coup, had denounced them in advance, seeing in them an “imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with African countries which are not members of the organization and certain Western countries”.
The European Union (EU) has warned that it will hold the putschists responsible “for any attacks against civilians, and diplomatic personnel or installations”, according to its head of diplomacy, Josep Borrell. It will “quickly and resolutely support” ECOWAS decisions.
Russia for its part, whose pro-junta demonstrators wave the flag in Niamey, called on Monday “for a restoration of legality in the country as soon as possible” and “for the restraint of all parties”.
Chadian mediation
Niger, 20 million inhabitants, is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite its uranium resources. The sanctions decided by ECOWAS “will hurt our country very badly”, Nigerian Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou told France 24 on Sunday.
Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, whose country is not a member of ECOWAS, but which neighbors Niger, also a military power in the Sahel allied with France, participated in the Abuja summit. He then traveled to Niamey, to “see what he can bring to the resolution of the crisis”, according to N’Djamena. He was able to speak with Mohamed Bazoum, detained since July 26 in his presidential residence, and with General Tiani.
After Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger, plagued by attacks from groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, is the third country in the region to suffer a coup since 2020.
