Attempts to undermine the military coup in Niger will be seen as “a declaration of war”, junta governments operating in Mali and Burkina Faso have stated
The threat comes after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – which is backed by France and the United States – threatened the provisional Niger government with military action if it fails to hand back power to the country’s democratically elected politicians by August 4.
“Any military intervention against Niger will be considered as a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali,” the authoritarian leadership of both countries said in a joint statement.
They also decried the raft of sanctions imposed on Niger by many Western countries, which include transaction bans and asset freezes, to be “illegal, illegitimate and inhumane”, adding that neither of the nations would be applying them.
Although Burkina Faso and Mali are nominally members of ECOWAS, the two countries have been suspended from the organisation due to their leaders participating in so-called “unconstitutional changes of government”. The heads of both countries have come to power via military coups.
Another suspended nation, Guinea, has also insisted that it will not be imposing sanctions on Niger, urging ECOWAS to “come to its senses”.
“The sanctions measures advocated by ECOWAS, including military intervention, are an option that would not be a solution to the current problem, but would lead to a human disaster whose consequences could extend beyond Niger’s borders,” a senior official in the Guinean military reportedly said.
Such resistance puts the three nations in opposition to much of the Western world, which has been hoping to see the Niger coup reversed and its democratically elected leader President Mohamed Bazoum restored to power.
France has been particularly hopeful that the revolution could fail, with it being heavily reliant on uranium exports from the African nation. Niger has already banned exports of gold and uranium to the European country.
Although previously expressing confidence that Bazoum would be reinstalled as president, the French Government has now announced that it will evacuate its citizens from its former colony “very soon”.
“In view of the deteriorating security situation in Niger, and taking advantage of the relative calm in [the capital] Niamey, an air evacuation operation is being prepared from Niamey,” according to the statement, which adds that “it will take place… over a very short period of time”.
Paris officials have said that some 500 to 600 French nationals are currently in Niger, and that those in the country will be informed of the exact date, time and location of the departure as soon as possible.
Citizens have been told that they will have to make their way to the evacuation point by their “own means”. The airlift will also be open to citizens of other EU Member States.
The statement claims that the evacuation is reportedly being coordinated with the permission of the Nigerien military.
