The International Community’s Response to the Coup in Niger
The international community has taken different positions on the coup in Niger, between supporting military intervention and restoring President Mohamed Bazum to power, sticking to negotiations with the military council, and leaving a settlement up to the Nigerians themselves.
Russian Foreign Ministry’s Perspective
And the Russian Foreign Ministry said that a military solution to the crisis in Niger could lead to a prolonged confrontation and destabilization of the situation in the Sahel-Sahara region.
She referred to “the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States” ECOWAS “to find a solution and a way out through dialogue with the new authorities of Niger”, stressing that “Russia supports the mediation efforts undertaken by the group to resolve the current crisis.”
West African Army Chiefs Meeting
West African army chiefs met Thursday and Friday in Ghana to discuss the possibility of military intervention in Niger.
Cape Verde’s Opposition to Military Intervention
The Republic of Cape Verde, a member of ECOWAS, has clearly opposed the possibility of military intervention in Niger.
“We must all work to restore constitutional order to Niger, but not at this time through military intervention or armed conflict,” President José María Neves said.
Neighboring Countries’ Solidarity
Mali and Burkina Faso, neighbors of Niger, showed their full solidarity with Niger and declared that they would support it in the face of any military intervention.
As for Algeria, the Chief of Staff of the Army, Lieutenant General Al-Said Chanegriha, during his absentee participation in the Moscow Peace and Security Summit, reaffirmed his country’s position that rejects military intervention in Niger, emphasizing the need to support peaceful methods to find a way out of the crisis.
African Countries and Western Powers’ Condemnation
African countries and Western powers, led by France and the United States, immediately expressed their condemnation of the coup, which was not the first in the Sahel region since 2020, but covered up great confusion about the decisions that need to be taken behind their position.
Indeed, a military intervention in Niger, the details of which are still unknown, without the support of the African Union seems unlikely.
The union held a meeting on Monday but has not taken a stand since, in a sign of division within the union over military intervention.
Meanwhile, the German Foreign Ministry on Thursday called on the European Union to impose sanctions against the leaders of the military coup in Niger.
Source: AFP.