Twenty-four hours after General Abdourahamane Tiani proclaimed himself the new strongman of Niger, international condemnations are not weakening. France announced on Saturday July 29 that it was suspending, “with immediate effect, all its development aid and budget support actions in Niger”, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “France calls for the return without delay to Niger’s constitutional order, around President Mohamed Bazoum, elected by the people of Niger”, is it added in the press release published after the urgent holding, on Saturday afternoon, of a council defense chaired by Emmanuel Macron.
French official development assistance for Niger amounted to 120 million euros in 2022. It should be slightly higher in 2023. On Friday, the French head of state, traveling to Papua New Guinea, had already condemned “in the strongest terms the military coup, which is perfectly illegitimate and deeply dangerous for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the entire region”. “This is why we call for the release of President Bazoum and the restoration of constitutional order,” he continued.
France currently has 1,500 soldiers deployed in this country considered a privileged partner of Paris in the Sahel. Previously essentially a transit base for operations in Mali, from which the “Barkhane” force withdrew, it is the only African country with which Paris still maintains a so-called “combat” partnership against the jihadists.
Mohamed Bazoum, “the only legitimate president”
But France is not the only one to react. The African Union (AU) “demands from the military the immediate and unconditional return to their barracks and the restoration of constitutional authority” within a fortnight, its Peace and Security Council said on Saturday.
In a statement, he “declares his deep concern at the disturbing resurgence of military coups” on the continent and condemns “in the strongest terms” the military takeover in Niamey against a “democratically elected” president, whose she calls for “immediate release”. The pan-African organization says it is ready to take “all necessary measures, including punitive sanctions, against the perpetrators, in the event that the rights of political detainees are not respected”.
The European Union (EU) “does not recognize and will not recognize the authorities resulting from the putsch” in Niger, and immediately suspends “all its actions of cooperation” with the country, its head of diplomacy said on Saturday. Joseph Borrell. Mohamed Bazoum “was democratically elected, he is and therefore remains the only legitimate president of Niger. His release must take place unconditionally and without delay,” he wrote in a statement, adding that in addition to the suspension of all budget support, “all security cooperation actions are suspended sine die with immediate effect. “.
West African Summit Sunday
Again, the United States also gave their “unwavering support” to President-elect Mohamed Bazoum on Friday, through their Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. The Nigerian president “must be immediately released” and “constitutional order must be restored”, he added on Saturday from Australia where he is traveling.
On Sunday, “a special summit” of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has fifteen members and to which Niger belongs, will also be held in Abuja, Nigeria, to assess the situation after the coup d’etat, with probable sanctions in the key, in the wake of those decided by France and the EU.
Bola Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, at the head of the West African bloc, had condemned the coup by the presidential guard of Niger on Wednesday. He promised that the organization and the international community “will do everything to defend democracy” and its “rooting” in the sub-region.
Third country in the Sahel to experience a coup since 2020
On Friday, General Abdourahamane Tiani spoke on national television to declare himself at the head of the coup. He was until then head of the presidential guard who since Wednesday has been sequestering Mr. Bazoum and his family in the presidential residence of Niamey.
“The National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland reaffirms its desire to respect all international commitments”, declared the general, before continuing: “The council, through my voice, asks the partners and friends of Niger, at this stage crucial to the life of our country, to trust our defense and security forces, guarantors of national unity, territorial integrity and the higher interests of our nation. »
Then proclaimed head of state by his peers, he justified the coup d’etat begun on Wednesday by “the deterioration of the security situation” in a Niger undermined by the violence of jihadist groups. According to him, “the current security approach has not made it possible to secure the country despite the heavy sacrifices made by Nigeriens and the appreciable and appreciated support of our external partners” – France and the United States being among the main .
Mr. Tiani owed his appointment as head of the presidential guard in 2011 to Mahamadou Issoufou, the predecessor of Mohamed Bazoum. The latter had decided to keep the general in his post when he arrived at the head of the state, in 2021.
The junta, which brings together all the corps of the army, the gendarmerie and the police, suspended the institutions, closed the land and air borders, and established a curfew.
After Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger, hitherto allied with Western countries, becomes the third country in the Sahel, undermined by attacks by groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, to experience a coup State since 2020. Mali and Burkina Faso notably turned to Russia after demanding the departure of French soldiers from their soil. The coup in Niger was strongly condemned by Niger’s Western partners and the United Nations.
Corrigendum on July 29 at 2:32 p.m.: change of the name of Mr. Tiani, instead of “Tchiani”, in accordance with the spelling revealed in an official press release.