Following the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, the United States has stated that it will suspend some of its aid to Niger.
Washington is pausing “certain foreign assistance programmes benefitting the government of Niger”, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Friday.
“As we have made clear since the outset of this situation, the provision of US assistance to the government of Niger depends on democratic governance and respect for constitutional order,” Blinken said, adding that Washington would continue to review its foreign assistance as the situation on the ground evolves.
The life-saving humanitarian and food assistance, as well as diplomatic and security activities to safeguard US troops, were all promised to continue by Blinken, who did not specify which programs would be impacted.
“We remain committed to supporting the people of Niger to help them preserve their hard-earned democracy and we reiterate our call for the immediate restoration of Niger’s democratically-elected government,” Blinken said.
The action comes as the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is considering using military force to restore Bazoum’s administration to power.
In the restless Sahel region of Africa, Niger, which declared its independence from France in 1960, has been regarded as one of the West’s few trustworthy allies in the fight against violent extremism.
More than 2,000 Western troops, primarily from the US and France, are stationed in the West African nation, which is the main recipient of US military aid in the area.
In the first peaceful transfer of power in the nation since its independence, Bazoum, one of the few pro-Western politicians in the area, won the election in 2021.
