No one saw the coup in Niger coming. One night, the president’s family went to sleep in the presidential residence. The next morning, on July twenty-sixth, President Mohammed Bazoum and his family were taken hostage by the presidential guard, an elite military group that was trained to protect the president.
Unfortunately, several Sahel countries have experienced coups over the recent years. Niger seemed to be going on a different path than its surrounding neighbors, and has been seen as one of the more stable African countries in the West African region. President Bazoum was the first Nigerian president to be elected through a peaceful and democratic transition of power. Since then, the president had established a strong partnership with the United States and other allies. President Bazoum accomplished many feats, such as encouraging female education and increasing literacy. One important action he made was allowing foreign military bases in Niger.
Niger is part of the Sahel region, a strip of land stretching from West to East below the Sahara desert and sometimes described as a “hotbed for terrorists.” Poorer countries with a high population of unemployed young people, a condition common in much of the Sahel region, allow extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram to grow more easily, increasing Western involvement to counteract the terrorist groups. The US and Niger’s partnership seemed to be working, but then the coup changed everything for the worse.
When this warning was declared, Niger’s neighboring countries of Mali and Burkina Faso leaped to the coup leader’s defense, saying that if the US or any other of the president’s allies attacked, they would take it as an act of war and would come to the junta’s defense. And despite not having a lot of Western allies, the coup leaders have been rallying support in Niger’s capital of Niamey, while having pro-Russian sentiments displayed in protests. All of these developments have created a high stakes standoff, with the hopes for reversing the coup growing weaker and weaker.
The junta has said they are open to talks to resolve the situation. In spite of this stance, they are still detaining the President, threatening to prosecute him for high treason, and these actions have been viewed as a sign that they are unwilling to seek a peaceful route out of the crisis.
Currently the situation does not look like it will resolve peacefully any time soon. An article from Reuters says that, “any military intervention could further destabilize the impoverished Sahel region, where an insurgency by groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State has displaced millions over the past decade and fuelled a hunger crisis.” The Sahel region really needs help, and if the junta does not reverse the coup, then the sanctions will continue. As a result, the already poor humanitarian crisis will worsen, and the number of people affected by violence will keep growing, unless a peaceful solution is met.
Sources:
Apple Podcasts. “Why a Coup in Niger Has the World’s Attention.” Apple Podcasts, 16 Aug. 2023, podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000624628800
“Burkina Faso, Mali Warn Against Military Intervention in Niger.” Politics News | Al Jazeera, 1 Aug. 2023, www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/1/burkina-faso-and-mali-warn-against-foreign-intervention-after-niger-coup
“Former Niger Rebel Launches Anti-coup Movement as Impasse Continues.” Conflict News | Al Jazeera, 9 Aug. 2023, www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/9/former-niger-rebel-launches-anti-coup-movement-as-impasse-continues.
“West African Bloc Scraps Crisis Meeting on Niger Coup.” Military News | Al Jazeera, 13 Aug. 2023, www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/12/west-african-bloc-scraps-crisis-meeting-on-niger-coup.
West African defense chiefs to meet in Ghana to discuss Niger Coup | CNN. (2023, August 17). CNN. https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2023/08/17/exp-niger-coup-busari-live-fst-081703aseg2-cnni-world.cnn
Adombila, M. A., & Balima, B. (2023, August 17). West African bloc says “we are going into Niger” if all else fails. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/west-african-army-chiefs-meet-niger-talks-2023-08-17/
“Coup attempt’ in Niger: Here’s what we know so far.” (2023, July 26). ‘Coup Attempt’ in Niger: Here’s What We Know so Far | News | Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/26/coup-attempt-in-niger-heres-what-we-know-so-far
“Explainer: What’s behind the Niger coup?” 2023, August 8, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/aug/08/explainer-whats-behind-the-niger-coup
Images sources:
“Burkina Faso, Mali Warn Against Military Intervention in Niger.” Politics News | Al Jazeera, 1 Aug. 2023, www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/1/burkina-faso-and-mali-warn-against-foreign-intervention-after-niger-coup
“Former Niger Rebel Launches Anti-coup Movement as Impasse Continues.” Conflict News | Al Jazeera, 9 Aug. 2023, www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/9/former-niger-rebel-launches-anti-coup-movement-as-impasse-continues.
“Coup attempt’ in Niger: Here’s what we know so far.” (2023, July 26). ‘Coup Attempt’ in Niger: Here’s What We Know so Far | News | Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/26/coup-attempt-in-niger-heres-what-we-know-so-far
“West African Bloc Scraps Crisis Meeting on Niger Coup.” Military News | Al Jazeera, 13 Aug. 2023, www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/12/west-african-bloc-scraps-crisis-meeting-on-niger-coup.
Thank you so much for writing this article! It was very helpful and informative for my French presentation on Niger (: