Reaching Out for Support: Niger’s Junta Seeks Assistance from Mali and Burkina Faso, Expels French Ambassador.
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Niger’s Junta Seeks Regional Defense Support, Expels French Ambassador
In a significant development, Niger’s junta has granted authorization for troops from Mali and Burkina Faso to provide assistance in its defense, simultaneously requesting the departure of the French ambassador from the country. This move raises tensions in an ongoing standoff with other West African nations, who have been contemplating the use of force to reinstate Niger’s democratically elected president.
Brig. Gen. Abdrahmane Tchiani, the junta’s leader, signed two executive orders allowing the “security forces of Burkina Faso and Mali to intervene on Niger territory in the event of aggression.” Senior junta official Oumarou Ibrahim Sidi made this announcement following a delegation’s visit from Mali and Burkina Faso to Niger’s capital, Niamey.
Sidi did not delve into specifics regarding the nature of the military support offered by these neighboring countries. Notably, both Mali and Burkina Faso have military regimes and have vehemently opposed any use of force by the West African bloc ECOWAS against Niger’s junta, viewing it as a direct act of aggression against their own nations. In response to these developments, the Nigerien Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a letter dated Friday, expelling French Ambassador Sylvain Itte within 48 hours. The letter cited the ambassador’s disregard of an invitation for a ministry meeting and actions by the French government contrary to Niger’s interests.
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France has consistently recognized only the authority of Niger’s elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who is currently detained by the junta. Paris reiterated its stance, emphasizing that “only legitimate elected Nigerien authorities” hold the right to decide the fate of its ambassador.
Nate Allen, an associate professor at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, noted that the invitation of troops from Mali and Burkina Faso and the expulsion of the French ambassador reveal a strong alignment between these countries and Niger. This alignment appears to be centered on an anti-Western and pro-authoritarian orientation.
Prior to the ousting of President Bazoum last month, Niger was considered a crucial partner for the West in combating jihadi violence in the Sahel region below the Sahara Desert, an area marked by anti-French sentiments. In the initial days of the July 26 coup, the French Embassy in Niger’s capital, Niamey, came under attack. The leaders of the coup have sought assistance from the private Russian military company Wagner to counter extremist threats.
The status of this request following the recent plane crash involving Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin remains uncertain. ECOWAS, in conjunction with the African Union, has firmly expressed its opposition to the use of private military contractors.
The junta’s alignment with Mali and Burkina Faso is the latest in a series of actions taken by Niger’s mutinous soldiers, challenging sanctions and consolidating their grip on power. They have asserted their intent to rule for up to three years, escalating the crisis that followed last month’s coup in a country with a population of over 25 million.
ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray confirmed that the bloc’s threat to employ force to restore President Bazoum to power remains an option, rejecting the junta’s proposed three-year transition plan. Eleven of the bloc’s 15 member countries, excluding Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger, have expressed their commitment to deploying troops to restore democracy in Niger once the decision to intervene is made.
Touray, speaking in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, stated that the bloc would continue to explore diplomatic avenues to reverse the coup while keeping the use of force on the table when diplomatic efforts are exhausted.
Details of the so-called ECOWAS “standby” force have not been disclosed, but regional officials have suggested that any military intervention would be similar to the force deployed in Gambia in 2017, which succeeded in removing President Yahya Jammeh from power after he refused to accept an election defeat.
The junta has capitalized on public grievances toward France, Niger’s former colonial ruler, accusing Bazoum’s government of failing to adequately address the threat of Islamic extremists. They have also sought assistance from the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
On a related note, the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation, which has executed $750 million in grant programs with Niger since 2008, suspended operations focusing on agricultural development, women’s literacy, and infrastructure in Niger. This suspension is in response to the coup, deemed contrary to principles of democratic governance by the U.S. agency.
ECOWAS, along with Western and European countries, has already imposed sanctions on Niger, including the interruption of electricity supply from Nigeria and border closures with neighboring countries. Touray acknowledged that these sanctions have led to severe socioeconomic challenges in Niger but emphasized that they are in the interest of the country’s people.
Contributions to this report were made by Associated Press journalists Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali, and Elaine Ganley in Paris, France.
