Frictions continue in African Niger over the coup
Photo: REUTERS
The military coup in Niger that occurred in the middle of last week, as a result of which the National Guard arrested the country’s president, Mohamed Bazum, and another group of soldiers announced his ouster, continues to worry world politicians. Still held hostage by the rebels, the ousted Bazum wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post asking the international community to help him restore constitutional order in his country.
Bazum called Niger “the last bastion” of human rights in the context of authoritarian movements that have spread to other countries on the African continent. According to him, the attempted coup that took place was a tragedy for Nigerians, and its success would have devastating consequences far beyond the country’s borders.
“In this hour of need, I call on the United States government and the entire international community to help us restore constitutional order. The people of Niger will never forget your support at this turning point in our history,” Bazum wrote.
Joe Biden, 80 (in his usual fashion), in response to Bazum’s prayer for help, only congratulated the people of Niger on the 63rd anniversary of their independence from France and lamented that they faced “a serious challenge to democracy.” .
“The people of Niger have the right to choose their leaders and have already expressed their will through elections, the results of which Washington calls for respect. We call for the immediate release of President Bazum and his family, and the preservation of Niger’s hard-won democracy,” the American president dryly concluded.
A delegation from the West African Economic Community (ECOWAS), which arrived in Niamey last night to seek solutions to the country’s crisis, left a few hours later. According to Le Figaro, the envoys met neither the new head of Niger, General Abdurahman Tchiani, nor the ousted Mohamed Bazum.
At the same time, the military that seized power has already announced the deprivation of powers of the country’s ambassadors in France, the United States, Nigeria and Togo. In addition, they arrested four ministers and the leader of the ruling party, Bazum. In addition to stopping the supply of gold and uranium to France, General Tchiani decided to denounce the military agreements with Paris. Broadcasting in the country by French radio station RFI and television channel France 24 was also suspended.
The former French ambassador to the United States, Gerard Haro, said in an interview with EURACTIV that one of the main reasons for the military coup in Niger was the neocolonial relations between Paris and Africa. The lack of clear Western unity in an African strategy “contributes to the chaos” the continent is currently experiencing, he said.
In a sense, Niger is to France what Afghanistan is to the United States. It was time to normalize political and economic relations between the countries, and France should have treated its African partners as sovereign states,” the former diplomat added.
And although in Niger the curfew had already been lifted, and the borders were open to five neighbors, the EU decided to evacuate its citizens from the country. The United States decided to remove only non-essential personnel and family members of its embassy employees.
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