Several thousand people demonstrated Sunday 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 with every demonstration in favor of the new regime, many slogans hostile to France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were chanted or displayed on placards, AFP journalists noted. .
“No to sanctions”, “stop military intervention”, could we read, in particular, on the Place de la Concertation in Niamey.
The protest comes the day after a televised speech by Niger’s new strongman, General Abdourahamane Tiani, 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.
After spending the night in Niamey, they left on Sunday morning for Abuja, according to an ECOWAS source.
Contrary to a previous West African mediation, at the beginning of August, the emissaries were therefore able to discuss with General Tiani 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,” said Mr. Abubakar, believing that the delegation’s visit helped “find a key to continue the talks until the outcome of this difficult affair”.
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.
In his Saturday evening speech, General Tiani did not once mention the ousted president.
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 its chiefs of staff, it even indicated that the “day of the intervention has been fixed”, as well as the “strategic objectives, the necessary equipment and the commitment of the Member States “. However, no timetable has been disclosed.
A threat taken seriously by General Tiani 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 people believe in,” he said, assuring that ECOWAS wanted to set up “an army of occupation in collaboration with an army foreign”, without mentioning any country.
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 different regions 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, said Washington, which does not recognize them.
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.
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20/08/2023 17:44:18 – Niamey (Niger) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
