A military intervention in Niger to restore elected President Mohamed Bazoum, overthrown by a putsch, would be considered “a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali”, said Monday July 31 a joint statement from the governments of Ouagadougou and Bamako.
The two governments, themselves stemming from coups, “warn that any military intervention against Niger would amount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali”, following a threat to use “strength” by West African leaders meeting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
France, a former colonial power in Niger and unfailing support of President Bazoum, appears to be the privileged target of the soldiers who took power on July 26. “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 Mr. Bazoum, a statement from the junta said on Monday.
Denial of Paris
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 on Sunday and Monday “the obligations that incumbent on all in the protection of diplomatic assets and personnel, as well as foreign residents”.
The Niger military who overthrew the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, accused France of “wanting to intervene militarily”. “It’s wrong,” replied French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on BFM-TV. “France’s only priority is the security of its nationals. (…) The measures we are taking are only measures intended to ensure the safety of our compatriots. »
The day after a demonstration in support of the junta in front of the French Embassy, ??Ms. Colonna also “clearly and firmly” denied the allegations of certain Nigerien officials who spoke to the press of the French firing live ammunition on the demonstrators. . “What we saw [Sunday] was a demonstration that was organized, unspontaneous, violent, extremely dangerous, with molotov cocktails, Russian flags, anti-French slogans… all the ingredients of fashionable destabilization Russian-African,” she pointed out on BFM-TV.
Colonna also said it was “possible” to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. “And it is necessary, because these destabilizations are perilous for Niger and its neighbors. »
The European Union on Monday condemned the arrest by Niger’s new junta of ministers from the ousted government and demanded their immediate release. “The EU denounces the continued arrests of ministers and senior officials of President Mohamed Bazoum’s government by the putschists in Niger,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Twitter, renamed X. “We call for their immediate release,” he added. The Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS, in power), denounced the “unreasonable arrests” of four ministers – Interior, Petroleum, Mines and Transport – as well as the head of its national executive committee.
Ultimatum
Ouagadougou and Bamako “warn that any military intervention against Niger would lead to the withdrawal of Burkina Faso and Mali from ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), as well as the adoption of self-defense measures in support to the armed forces and the people of Niger”.
They “warn of the disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger which could destabilize the entire region”. They add that they “refuse to apply” the “illegal, illegitimate and inhuman sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger” decided in Abuja.
On Sunday, ECOWAS leaders issued a week-long 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 not the case.
They also decided to “suspend all commercial and financial transactions” between its member states and Niger, and to freeze the assets of military officials involved in the coup.
In a separate statement, Guinea, whose government is also the result of a coup, “expresses its disagreement with the sanctions recommended by ECOWAS, including military intervention” and “decided not to apply these sanctions that ‘he regards as illegitimate and inhuman’. Conakry “urges ECOWAS to reconsider its position”.
