Did Antonio Guterres obstruct the coming of a Nigerien representative to the United Nations General Assembly? The military regime, in power since the putsch in July, for its part denounces “perfidious actions” on the part of the UN Secretary General.
“The National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland [CNSP, authors of the coup d’état, Editor’s note] and the government of the Republic of Niger call the national and international community to witness the perfidious actions of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, who are likely to undermine any effort to end the crisis in our country,” indicates a press release read on public television. According to this text, Mr. Guterres “went astray in the exercise of his mission by obstructing Niger’s full participation in the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.”
During this General Assembly, the military regime in power sent its new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, who before the July 26 coup was the country’s representative to the UN. “Mr. Guterres not only refused to take note of the official list of delegates from Niger […] but above all acceded to the fanciful request of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassoumi Massaoudou tending to revoke the permanent representative of Niger to of the United Nations”, notes the Niamey press release.
Niger “strongly rejects and denounces this manifest interference by Mr. Guterres in the internal affairs of a sovereign State”, adds the text which denounces “the complicity of France and two French-speaking West African heads of state”, without mentioning them.
On Friday, the new authorities in Niamey also issued wanted notices against several officials of the deposed government, including Mr. Massaoudou and other former ministers. These figures are “considered to be on the run” and wanted for their alleged “involvement in a case of treason and conspiracy aimed at undermining the security and authority of the State” following the “events of change regime on July 26,” specifies a message from the research brigade of the Nigerien national gendarmerie.
Some of these personalities were outside Niger during the coup, others managed to leave the country afterwards. Furthermore, according to several local media, other dignitaries of the fallen regime have been incarcerated in various prisons across the country. Military authorities have not confirmed these imprisonments.
Nigerien generals overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, who has still not resigned and has been sequestered in his residence ever since. Mr. Bazoum appealed to West African justice this week to obtain his release and the restoration of constitutional order in the country. Niger is subject to heavy economic and financial sanctions imposed on July 30 by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The West African organization has been threatening the perpetrators of the coup with military intervention since July 30 to restore constitutional order.
She had announced that the day and modalities of the operation had been decided, prioritizing however the diplomatic route, but now remains relatively silent, although supported by several Western countries, notably France.