French President Emmanuel Macron called for the immediate release of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held since July 26, 2023, in a military coup orchestrated by former commander of Niger’s presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tchiani.
Macron also stressed the importance of reinstating democratic governance in Niger, a former French colony, after the elected leadership was overthrown by a military coup in July.
Leaders within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc have announced their commitment to exploring various options for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. In addition, ECOWAS has initiated the deployment of a standby force to Niger in order to reinstate constitutional order.
Following the coup, France – Niger’s former colonial ruler – and the European Union have suspended security cooperation and financial aid to the nation. The United States has issued a warning that its assistance might also be affected.
The coup has significantly strained relations between France and Niger. France maintains a military presence across different parts of West Africa as part of its anti-terror operations.
Emphasising the importance of French operations such as Serval and Barkhane, President Macron stated that without these efforts, countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and possibly Niger would have faced severe instability and security threats much closer to European borders.
Macron pointed out that these operations were initiated based on requests from African states, effectively preventing the establishment of extremist strongholds just a few thousand kilometers away from France.
He further clarified that when a coup occurs and counterterrorism efforts are no longer prioritised by the new leadership, France finds it challenging to maintain engagement.
Moreover, President Bola Tinubu has urged a delegation of Islamic Ulamas to continue their dialogue with the military junta in Niger, aiming for a peaceful resolution. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, emphasised President Tinubu’s commitment to exploring peaceful solutions while keeping all options open.
James Heappey, the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for the Armed Forces, acknowledged Nigeria’s diplomatic efforts in mediating to restore democracy in its northern neighbor, Niger.
