Thousands marched through the streets of the capital, Niameyand in front of the embassy of France. A unanimous chorus of attacks against Pariswho decided to suspend aid after the coup d’état by the military junta, and of slogans praising Russia it’s at Putin. I pro-coup who took power in Niger this week they so openly take the side of Moscawhile the mercenary group Wagner – which a few weeks ago he attempted to arrive at Mosca – is already operating in the neighbor Mali: Putin would like to expand his country’s influence in the region, but it is not yet clear whether the new junta leaders will move towards Mosca or will stay with the western partners of the Nigerwhich became independent from France in 1960. His economic influencemilitary and commercial, however, remains central. The Elysiumalready during the protests, announced to answer “immediately and decisively” in the event of an attack on his own citizens.
The coup was led by Abdourahmane Tchianihead of the Presidential Guards, who ousted the president Mohamed Bazoummotivating the seizure of power by aiming with the lack of measures to face the crisis economic and “the deterioration of the security situation” in the country undermined by the violence of groups jihadists.
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Meanwhile i leader putschists warn against a military intervention in the country, while l’Ecowas (the Economic Community of West African States) meets in an emergency summit which could decide sanctions against Niamey. “The objective of the meeting – denounced the spokesman of the junta, the colonel Amadou Abdramanein a statement read on TV – is to approve a plan of aggression against the Niger through imminent military intervention a Niameyin collaboration with other African countries that are not members dell’Ecowas and some Western countries“. Then the spokesman he warned: “We want to remember once more all’Ecowas and to any other adventurer of ours determination to defend ours patria“.
Western reactions – In the meantime, western diplomacythe European Union and the African Union sharpen the weapons. Bruxelles, through the mouth of the EU High Representative Joseph Borrellcalled for the immediate and unconditional release of the ousted president Bazoum and his family. The Union – continued the Spanish politician – he then announced the suspension of all cooperation in matters of security”. No less harsh was the reaction of Security Council of the African Union (AU) which granted to the military of Niger 15 days to “immediately and unconditionally return to their barracks and restore constitutional order” after the coup of recent days. Hours before the United States they declared theirtireless support” to the ousted president, seen as a key ally of the West in the fight against Islamist militants.
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The relationship with France and the question of Islamic terrorism – In the field too France: President Emmanuel Macron, which convened the National Security and Defense Council, decided to suspend “all its development aid and budget support actions”, calling for a return to constitutional order without delay. In Niger are currently deployed 1,500 French soldiers chand have been working with the Nigerien Army so far. The United States, on the other hand, has about a thousand in place. Niamey is one of the last allies of Paris In the Sahel. Used in the past essentially as a transit base for operations in Malifrom which the forces of Barchanil Niger is the only African country with which the France still maintains a so-called “fighting” partnership against i jihadists.
All eyes are now on the mediation of Ecowass, the Economic Community of West African States which will hold a Abujain Nigeria, an extraordinary summit, to take stock of the situation, ready to implement sanctions. The general Abdourahmane Tchiani took to national television screens to read a statement introducing himself as the country’s new strongman, before the political entourage of Bazoum denounced “a coup for personal convenience”.
After Mali e Burkina Faso, il Nigerhitherto allied with Western countries, becomes the third Sahel countryundermined by attacks by groups linked to the Islamic State and al Qaeda, to suffer a coup from 2020.