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The ruling military council in Niger informed the economic community “ECOWAS”, which wanted to send a delegation to Niamey, that it could not receive them at the present time for “security” reasons.
In the message of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to the representation of the Economic Community of West African States in Niamey, it stated: “The current context, including the anger and discontent of the population, following the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, does not allow the aforementioned delegation to be received in a calm and safe atmosphere.”
The letter, dated Monday, of which Agence France-Presse received a copy, added, “It was found that postponing the mission’s visit scheduled for Tuesday to Niamey is necessary and also a review of some aspects of the programme, including the inability to meet with some personalities for obvious security reasons, in this atmosphere of threat of aggression.” on Niger.
The Economic Community of West African States had threatened to intervene militarily in Niger to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to power, after he was overthrown by a coup on July 26.
The threat came in the form of a seven-day ultimatum set by ECOWAS leaders for the Nigerien army on July 30. It had not been implemented when the ultimatum expired Sunday evening.
In addition to postponing the visit of the West African delegation, another indicator is the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Ali al-Amin, in what is considered a first step towards appointing a transitional prime minister.
For its part, the United States, France’s ally in the fight against extremist Islamic groups in the region, seeks to give priority to dialogue.
The US Assistant Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, arrived in Niamey on Monday to meet the putschists, in a meeting that was not attended by General Abd al-Rahman Chiani, the new strong man in Niger. Nor has she met President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest in Niamey since his detention nearly two weeks ago.
Nuland said that the talks, in which the new chief of staff, Musa Salo Parmo, took part, “were very frank and sometimes difficult.”
She added that she offered “a number of options” to end the coup. “I wouldn’t say that this offer was considered in any way,” she said.
Nuland also noted that the putschists “are very well aware of the dangers to their sovereignty when Wagner is invited” to Niger.
For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in an interview with Radio France International on Monday, “Certainly diplomacy is the best way to resolve this situation.”
Then, in an interview with the BBC later, he warned that the Russian armed group “Wagner”, which is in Mali, was taking advantage of the instability in neighboring Niger. Blinken added, “I think that what happened in Niger was not organized by Russia or Wagner, but they tried to benefit from it, wherever Wagner is found, death, destruction and exploitation follow.”
The relations of Niamey’s new leaders are tense with Western countries and most of the African countries that condemned the coup, but they are excellent with Mali and Burkina Faso, which are also led by military men who seized power by force in the years 2020 and 2022, respectively.
The two countries expressed their solidarity with Niger, stressing that if it was attacked by the Economic Community of West African States, it would be tantamount to a “declaration of war” on them.
The new regime in Niger can count on the support of its supporters in Niamey, where 30,000 of them gathered Sunday to show their support for the coup, waving Russian flags and booing France and ECOWAS.
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2023-08-08 20:39:18
