The French government made it clear yesterday that it supports “firmly and with determination” the plans of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to evict the military junta that carried out a coup in Niger on July 26. The ultimatum given to the coup leaders expires today, Sunday.
“This is about the future of Niger and stability in the entire region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement in Paris, while once again calling for the release of the legitimate president, Mohamed Bazoum, and the ministers who continue to serve. under arrest.
This clear-cut stance by Paris presents obvious risks of direct involvement, since France still has 1,500 soldiers at a base in Niamey. The coup leaders ended military cooperation with the former colonial power on Thursday night, but the French government maintains that the military junta has no legitimacy to take such a step.
The situation is dangerous and could set the Sahel on fire. The military that govern Mali and Burkina Faso have already said that they would interpret an armed intervention against the junta in Niamey as “a declaration of war.” Despite this, preparations continue. The chiefs of staff of the ECOWAS member countries opposed to the coup plotters met on Friday in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to agree on the specific modality of intervention. “We are ready,” a minister from one of the countries involved told Le Monde newspaper.
The head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna, described the ECOWAS ultimatum as a “credible threat”. Colonna received yesterday at the Quai d’Orsay the prime minister of the ousted government of Niger, Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou. He was accompanied by the ambassador in Paris, Aïchatou Boulama Kané, faithful to President Bazoum, who did not accept her dismissal as representative in the French capital.
The Biden Administration reported that the United States was suspending part of the aid programs for Niger, although it maintained essential humanitarian and food assistance. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington would continue to be present in the African country, to the extent possible, with diplomatic and security operations for its staff.
