Coup in Niger: Diplomatic Tensions and International Pressure

The coup plotters of Niger they close to any diplomatic dialogue. On Friday the delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), who arrived in the country to meet the self-proclaimed leader Abdourahman Tchiani and the president ousted Mohammed Bazoum, she returned home without even having done the meetings. While the new masters of the country, where other demonstrations in support of the coup d’état were held yesterday, have announced that they have severed all diplomatic ties con France, Nigeria, Togo e United States: “The functions of the ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Niger to France, Nigeria, Togo and the United States have ceased,” announced a spokesman for the coup plotters, Amadou Abdramane. And they then clarified that the junta will respond immediately to any “aggression or attempted aggression” by West African countries: “There will be a immediate and unannounced response by the Nigerien Defense and Security Forces on any of the members except Friendly Countries (Burkina Faso e Mali)”. As reported by ActuNige the rebels currently in power have nevertheless announced the curfew lifted imposed on July 26 immediately after the overthrow of President Bazoum.

Hard position pushing towards un’escalationgiven the ultimatum launched by Ecowas, which has not ruled out military intervention, expiring on 6 August. Also in this regard the President of Nigeria, Tinubu ballwrote to the Senate informing it of the proposed military action and other sanctions and citing “military build-up and deployment of military intervention personnel” to “compel the military junta in Niger into compliance should it prove reluctant” to restore the deposed president to his post.

Just according to Bazoum, who made a public statement to Washington Post saying to “write as a hostage”, the coup could have “devastating” consequences to the world and bring the entire Sahel region under Russia’s “influence” through the group’s mercenaries Wagner. The deposed president reiterated that “Niger is under attack by a military junta that is trying to overthrow our democracy, and I am just one of hundreds of citizens arbitrarily and illegally imprisoned. The putschists they claim falsely to have acted to protect the safety of Niger. They claim ours guerra against terrorists jihadists sta failing and that my economic and social governance, including partnerships with United States e Europeha damaged our country,” he added. Finally launching an appeal: “I ask the American government and the entire international community to help restore the constitutional order”.

In recent days, the pressures of the international community to restore the democratically elected government. There Central Bank announced the cessation of grants to the country, in line with the choice of Western countries to freeze funds for development cooperation. Italy and France have decided to evacuate their citizens and the Spain he just sent his own aircraft of the Air Force for withdraw the Spaniards present in the area.

Also cancelled military agreements with Paris. “Faced with France’s inattentive attitude and its reaction to the situation, the National Council for the Protection of the Homeland has decided to scrap the agreements of cooperation in the field of security and defense with this State”, announced the coup plotters after criticizing some agreements between Niamey and Paris on the “stationing” of the troops of the French detachment and on the “status” of the soldiers present in the fight against jihadism. Net the answer of Paris: “Only the legitimate Nigerien authorities are empowered to be able to cancel the agreements of military cooperation between Niamey and France,” said the French foreign minister Catherine Colonna reiterating that these authorities “are the only ones recognized by France as well as by the international community as a whole”.

And Berlina Foreign Ministry spokesman said the German government was not currently “aware” of a possible role of the Russia in the coup, also recalling that in Security Council dell’it Moscow has come out in defense of the democratically elected government in Niger. As present as they are russian security forces, in addition to the mercenaries of the Wagner group, in countries close to Niger, such as Mali and Burkina Faso, to the German government they don’t turn out currently indications that these forces have “had a role in the coup” and that there was one “big planning” behind the coup d’état, the ministry explains. However, the spokesman recalled, following the coup in Niger it is increased disinformation in favor of Moscow and Russian flags were sighted.

For his part, responding to Bazoum’s appeal for the international community to mobilize, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that “it is unlikely that a intervention of extra-regional forces can change the situation for the better. We are following this situation very carefully and in particular we are concerned about the tension that is increasing in the region and we continue to defend the rapid return to the constitutional path without any harm or threat to the majority of human lives,” he explained.

2023-08-04 17:26:15
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