Coup in Niger: the last Western ally in West Africa falls
The UN suspends the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country, on which 4.3 million people depend.
Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)A group of soldiers organized under the name of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) announced on Niger's state television on the night of July 26-27 that they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum after holding him captive throughout Wednesday in the presidential palace in the capital, Niame. The UN has suspended its humanitarian aid program in the country, which benefited 4.3 million people.
At midnight, Colonel Amadou Abdramane appeared on television accompanied by men in military uniform to read a statement declaring they would "put an end to the regime you already know" (referring to President Mohamed Bazoum), and announcing the closure of both land and air borders and the imposition of a curfew. Abdramane also stated that "all institutions of the Seventh Republic have been suspended," and warned international partners "not to intervene." The rebels promised to guarantee the "physical and moral integrity of the ousted president."
Bazoum spoke for the first time this morning via his Twitter account to say that "all Nigeriens who love democracy and freedom will maintain the gains achieved."
Nigerien Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou told France24 that "there was an attempted coup, but it wasn't led by the entire army, nor did they all agree with it." This could cast doubt on the coup's complete success and the likelihood of popular support for the coup plotters. In a statement Published 24 hours after the military uprising, the army's general staff says it has decided to "abide by the declaration of the Defense and Security Forces" to avoid a "bloodbath".
One of the men suspected of leading the mutiny is Abdourahmane Tchiani, head of the presidential guard since 2011. According to sources Jeune Afrique, Tchiani has "700 equipped and trained men and about twenty armored vehicles." The same source points to internal disagreements after Bazoum attempted to implement changes within the Nigerien army. In fact, this is the second coup attempt the president has faced since winning the presidential elections in February 2021.
Anti-French sentiment and Russian influence
The image of a group of soldiers announcing a coup on public television is not new in West Africa; rather, it is symptomatic of the instability in the Sahel region, the rise of anti-French sentiment, and Russian influence. Although there is no indication of interference from Moscow, the Wagner mercenary group celebrated the coup. The image of a group of soldiers announcing a coup on public television is not new in West Africa; rather, it is symptomatic of the instability in the Sahel region, plagued by jihadist terrorism, the rise of anti-French sentiment, and Russian influence. Several hundred demonstrators celebrated the coup by waving Russian flags in the capital.
Niger stood until now—pending the unfolding of this coup—as the last Western ally in the Sahel after the French special forces—Operation Barkhane and Operation Sabre—were expelled by the military juntas of Assimi Goita in Mali and Ibrahim in Africa. Both heads of state came to power with a clear orientation toward Russia and traveled today to participate in the second Russian-African summit, held this July 27 and 28 in St. Petersburg.
EU ally
The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, traveled to Niamey a few days ago, where he met with Bazoum, whom he described as a "solid and reliable partner" of the European Union. Since 2015, the EU has donated millions of euros to the Nigerien government to increase police and military presence along migration routes to Europe. In 2015, the city of Agadez, the gateway to the Sahara Desert, was closed, and people now travel along longer and more dangerous routes.
This is also a major blow for France, as it depends on Niger for its energy supply, given that Niger is one of the countries with the largest uranium reserves. The Arlit mine, in the Agadez region of northern Niger, is one of the largest in the world and, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), has a lifespan until 2030. The new Imouraren mine, with the capacity to produce 5,000 tons annually for 35 years, is currently under dispute. France needs 8,000 tons annually to fuel its nuclear power plants.
The Sahel region accounts for 42% of global deaths from jihadist terrorism, according to the Global Terrorism Index. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are the countries with the highest death tolls.
