Niger coup prevents U.S. from trying to block Russia’s progress
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States is betting on long-term military ties to keep Niger in place despite initial disappointments as it tries to prevent major new inroads between Russia and coup-hit Niger. on the western track.
Niger has been at the heart of the US-French campaign against jihadists in the Sahel region, especially after the military seizure of power in neighboring Mali, which opened the door to western powers and the introduction of ruthless Russian mercenaries Organize Wagner forces.
Acting US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland made an unannounced visit to Niamey, the capital of Niger, yesterday, admitting that little progress has been made in reversing the July 26 coup. Intervention poses a risk to their sovereignty”.
She said her main interlocutor, Brigadier-General Moussa Salaou Barmou, the newly appointed chief of the military staff, had been working closely with US special forces, detailing “a level of cooperation that has always been of great concern” to Barmou.
“Therefore, we hope that this can gradually be understood,” Lu Lan said.
A few months ago, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Niger, the most senior U.S. official ever to visit Niger. He praised Niger’s achievements under democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. Bezom has been a guest at U.S. President Joe Biden’s Democracy and Africa Summit.
U.S. policymakers dismissed Russia’s involvement in the Nigerian coup, but cited Russian influence actions in the post-coup period, including posts on French-language social media and events supporting a military takeover.
Wagnerian chief Yevgeny Prigozhin capitalized on popular discontent with former colonial power France, calling the coup “nothing more than the struggle of the people of Niger against the colonialists” in a voice message purportedly from him.
In an interview with the BBC, Blinken said Bezom’s ouster was “not instigated by Russia or Wagner,” but warned Wagner “will try to take advantage of that.”
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller dismissed claims that people were leaning toward Moscow after Russian flags appeared at demonstrations in Niger.
“If your country is taken over by a military junta and you want to show your support, the way you decide to do it is by running out, I guess, by going to a local store and buying a Russian flag, which I find very odd,” Miller said.
Cameron Hudson, an Africa expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (Center for Strategic and International Studies), a Washington think tank, said the coup showed that the West had misjudged Niger. France and the United States have about 2,500 troops stationed in Niger.
Unlike the Central African Republic, Niger and Wagner’s stronghold of Mali, Hudson said, turned to Russia after realizing there was an “existential threat”.
By contrast, Niger’s military appeared happy to maintain relations with the United States, but Washington withheld aid and demanded that constitutional order be restored, he said.
“But one thing Russia does offer is an opportunity to break out of isolation,” Hudson said.
“If you feel you are being pressured by regional and international organizations like the UN, the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), Russia presents itself as a very handy tool to help circumvent or weaken that isolation.”
Wagner also backs warring parties in Sudan and Libya and is said to have ties to Burkina Faso. Wagner provided brutal military tactics and supported the maintenance of the regime. More than 500 people were massacred in the Mali town of Malian last year, UN investigators say.
In turn, Wagner obtained access to natural resources such as minerals coveted by all parties, and Russia gained diplomatically. Mali became one of the countries that voted against the United Nations condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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2023-08-09 07:20:08
