Several thousand people demonstrated Sunday morning in Niamey in support of the military regime, which announced the day before considering a transition of three years maximum, while the threat of a West African military intervention still hangs over Niger. As during each demonstration favorable to the new regime, many slogans hostile to France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were chanted or displayed on placards, noted journalists from the Agency. France-Presse.
“No to sanctions”, “stop to military intervention”, could we read, in particular, on the Place de la Concertation in Niamey. The protest comes a day after a televised speech by Niger’s new strongman, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum in a July 26 coup. In this speech, he outlined an initial transition schedule.
Announcing the launch of a national dialogue, he specified that the duration of the transition would not exceed “three years”. Earlier in the day, he had met an ECOWAS delegation led by former Nigerian President Abdulsalami Abubakar, who had come to negotiate a way out of the crisis.
Unlike a previous West African mediation, in early August, this time the emissaries were therefore able to discuss with General Tchiani, but also meet Mohamed Bazoum, held prisoner since the coup. The latter appeared on Nigerien television images smiling during this meeting. “There is hope, no doubt,” Abubakar said, saying the delegation’s visit “found a key to continue the talks until this difficult matter is resolved.”
But the end of the crisis is still far from certain, because ECOWAS demands the reinstatement of Mr. Bazoum in his functions and his immediate release. However, in his speech on Saturday evening, General Tchiani did not mention the ousted president once. The West African organization, which has taken heavy economic sanctions against Niger since July 30, threatens to use force if it does not win its case.
Friday evening, after a meeting of her chiefs of staff, she even indicated that the “day of the intervention has been fixed”, as are the “strategic objectives, the necessary equipment and the “commitment of the States members “. However, no timetable has been disclosed.
A threat taken seriously by General Tchiani, who warned on Saturday evening that Niger would not sit idly by in the event of an intervention. “If an aggression were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park that some believe in,” he said, assuring that ECOWAS wanted to set up “an army of occupation in collaboration with an army foreign”, without naming any country.
On Sunday at the Vatican, Pope Francis called for a “peaceful solution as soon as possible,” saying he joined “the call of the bishops for peace in the country and stability in the Sahel.” The day before, Algeria, which shares a long border with Niger, had done the same.
“Before the irreparable is committed, and before the region is caught in the spiral of violence whose incalculable consequences no one can predict, Algeria calls on all parties to show restraint, wisdom and the reason,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Niger has been fighting for several years against jihadist groups in various parts of its territory. One of its traditional allies, the United States, which deploys some 1,100 soldiers, has announced the arrival of a new ambassador. Kathleen FitzGibbon will not, however, officially present her mission letter to the new authorities, Washington said, who do not recognize her. The bloody attacks by jihadist groups have not weakened. On Tuesday, at least 17 soldiers were killed in an attack near Burkina Faso, the deadliest since the coup.
