Niger is able to “overcome” the sanctions imposed following the coup, assured Monday August 14 the prime minister appointed by the military regime in Niamey, when the African Union (AU) announced meet in Addis Ababa.
“We believe that although this is an unfair challenge that has been imposed on us, we should be able to overcome it. And we will overcome it,” the head of the military government, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, told German state media Deutsche Welle of the measures taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Nigeria and ECOWAS are important partners, he also assured: “We have a great interest in preserving this important and historic relationship and in ensuring that ECOWAS works first on purely economic issues”. However, he cautions: “If we saw that the political and military principle comes to the fore, instead of this economic solidarity, it would be very regrettable. »
The military regime denounced Sunday, in a press release, “the illegal, inhuman and humiliating sanctions of ECOWAS”, taken during a summit of the organization, on July 30, during which was also fixed an ultimatum of seven days to restore constitutional order, under penalty of the use of force – not applied.
Suspension of financial transactions
During this summit, the West African states announced, among other things, the suspension of financial and commercial transactions with Niger, which is economically and energetically dependent on foreign countries.
These sanctions “go so far as to deprive the country of pharmaceutical products, foodstuffs” and “supply of electric current”, the soldiers lamented in their press release read on national television.
Also on Monday, the Peace and Security Council, the body responsible for conflict and security issues within the African Union (AU), announced that it would hold a meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss “the evolution of the situation in Niger and the efforts to remedy it”.
The meeting comes after the postponement on Saturday of a meeting of the ECOWAS chiefs of staff, which aimed to inform the leaders “of the best options” following their decision to activate their intervention force. to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, overthrown on July 26.
The timetable and terms of a possible West African military intervention have not been disclosed. The leaders of ECOWAS had however reaffirmed to favor the diplomatic way for a resolution of the crisis.
For their part, the perpetrators of the coup are blowing hot and cold, first declaring themselves open to negotiation according to a Nigerian mediation visiting Niamey this weekend, then announcing that they want to prosecute for “high treason” the overthrown president. For ECOWAS, this threat constitutes a new “provocation” by the military authorities in Niamey.
On the same day, the Niamey Court of Appeal “annulled” the nine-month prison sentence of a leader of a coalition supporting the military regime. Abdoulaye Seydou had been imprisoned for seven months for a case linked to a jihadist attack.
