Following a recent coup which overthrew President Mahamadou Issoufou, Niger’s current military leadership has sanctioned military intervention from Burkina Faso and Mali, should there be external threats.
This development followed closely after the Foreign Ministers of Burkina Faso, Olivia Roumba, and Mali’s Abdoulaye Diop paid a visit to Niamey, meeting the influential General Abdurahmane Cissé of Niger.
At the end of this significant visit, Omar Ibrahim Sidi, the Deputy Chief of Niger’s Foreign Affairs, communicated the ministers’ endorsement. He highlighted, “The directives from Niamey now allow Burkina Faso’s and Mali’s defense units to step in on Nigerien land during aggressive situations.”
It’s worth noting that Burkina Faso and Mali, much like Niger, face ongoing challenges with jihadist activities. Between 2020 and 2022, both countries experienced military takeovers.
After the July 26 coup in Niamey, Burkina Faso and Mali’s military leaders showed their support for the new ruling body in Niger.
The African Union’s (AU) Peace and Security Council decided on Tuesday to immediately suspend Niger’s participation in all of its activities. This resolution comes in response to the recent coup staged by the Presidential Guard against the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, on July 26th. The AU has strongly urged the international community not to legitimize the coup leaders who have now seized power.
In a statement, the council appealed to member states of the African Union and the international community at large, advising them against taking any actions that might legitimize the unlawful regime in Niger.
According to a report by Reuters, the council’s statement robustly condemned “any external interference by any actor or country outside the continent in African peace and security affairs.” This appears to be a pointed reference to the Russian military company, Wagner. The company’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, recently revealed in a video that he is present in Africa.
Reaffirming its commitment, the African Union’s Peace and Security Council expressed its full solidarity with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). They commended ECOWAS’s unwavering dedication to restoring the constitutional order in Niger through diplomatic means.
Furthermore, the council has requested the African Union Commission to assess the potential impact of ECOWAS’s decision to deploy a standby force in Niger.
ECOWAS has warned that it might resort to using force if diplomatic efforts fail to yield results. It is important to note that Niger is the fourth West African nation to experience a military coup since 2020, following Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali.
However, the coup leaders remain defiant. The coup’s commander, General Abdulrahman Chiani, stated on Saturday, “If we are attacked, it won’t be the walk in the park some seem to think it will be.”
Furthermore, he accused ECOWAS of “preparing to invade his country by forming an occupation force in collaboration with a foreign army,” which he did not specify.
