Niger has long been considered the last bastion of stability in the African Sahel region. In 2021, democratic elections were successfully held in the country, resulting in a change of power in the country, bringing Mohamed Bazum to power. During that time, four military coups took place in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, and an attempt at a violent change of control in Niger failed.
However, the situation in 2023 has radically changed. On July 26, presidential guard members surrounded the presidential palace, arresting President Mohamed Bazum. These actions also found support among the country's military leadership, which issued an official message expressing support for the rebels. Referring to Niger's foreign minister, the French news media noted that the rebellion does not enjoy the trust of all military-political circles of the country.
After these actions, the leaders of West African countries announced that the military junta that seized power in Niger must reinstate the legally elected President Mohamed Bazumi within seven days. Otherwise, they threaten to use military force.
Niger's coup has also been strongly condemned by many international organizations, including the African Union, the West African Regional Block (Ecowas), the EU and the United Nations. As of Thursday, there has been no news of the ousted president, but the EU, France and other countries have issued statements continuing to recognize Bazumi as Niger's legitimate leader.
In his first speech as head of the Transitional Council, General Omar Chiani criticized the previous Nigerian government's lack of cooperation with the military junta of Mali and Burkina Faso in the fight against Islamist rebels in the Sahel region. This is notable because many see a trace of Russia in the coup, which supported the coups in Mali and Burkina Faso. Against all this background, hundreds of coup supporters gathered in the country's capital, Niamey, near the French Embassy, chanting: "Don't vote, France, long live Russia, long live Putin!"
There are fears that the former French colony could turn to Russia after a military coup, as has already happened in Mali and Burkina Faso after the military seized power.
It is noteworthy that official Moscow, however, condemned the seizure of power by the military in Niger. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that "the coup is an unconstitutional act" and "it is necessary to restore the constitutional order" in Niger. At the same time, a message in the voice of "Wagner" leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was spread on Russian social networks, which, on the contrary, encouraged the rebels and called the coup a victory.
Niger's ousted president, Mohammed Bazoum, has worked closely with regional and Western countries to fight against Islamist groups. The EU and France have suspended all financial support and security cooperation with Niger.
The head of the EU foreign policy department, Josep Borrell, stated that the European Union does not recognize and does not intend to recognize the new Niger government that came to power due to a military coup. Mohamed Bazum, he said, "remains the only legitimate president of Niger," who should be released immediately.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted yesterday that Secretary of State Blinken expressed US support to President Bazum and the democratic government. According to the official, the United States is following the development of events and is trying to prevent the action of illegally removing the democratically elected president. He warned that millions of dollars of American aid would be suspended depending on the development of events, and the victory of lawlessness and anti-democracy will undermine the further provision of assistance.
It should be noted that Niger received significant Western aid as an ally in the fight against jihadist rebels destabilizing the Sahel region. It should be noted that the Sahel is the central subtropical region of Africa, which includes 12 countries, including Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad, with a total population of about 300 million.
In recent years, French and UN troops have been forced out of neighboring Mali, but 1,500 French troops remain in Niger. According to experts, the overthrow of Bazum could lead to their complete withdrawal and the worsening of the security situation both in Niger and in the entire region.
