With soldiers in military attire declaring their seizure of power, international condemnation, and mediation efforts from neighboring countries, the coup d'état in Niger is the third of its kind in the troubled Sahel region, exacerbating an already fragile situation.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN NIAMEY?
On Wednesday night, a group of mostly unknown military personnel announced on national television that they had ousted the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who assumed office in 2021.
In their announcement, Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane declared the suspension of state institutions and the closure of the country's borders, citing the "deteriorating security situation" in Niger as the reason for the coup.
The junta claims to have the support of all the armed forces, gendarmerie, and police, and has implemented a nightly curfew from 10 pm to 5 am.
This announcement came at the end of a tense and confusing day, marked by what the government described as a "mood swing" by the presidential guard, who are currently holding President Bazoum at the presidential palace. Late on Wednesday afternoon, demonstrators gathered outside the palace to denounce the coup d'état but were dispersed by warning shots fired by the guard. The situation in Niamey appeared to be calm, and the streets, which had experienced heavy rainfall, were empty. BAZOUM AND HIS GOVERNMENT REJECT THE COUP D'ETAT A few hours after the video of the coup plotters, President Mohamed Bazoum, who had previously held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the night, published a message on Twitter, renamed X, to affirm that the democratic gains would be "preserved." Currently sequestered at the presidential palace with his family, the Nigerien president is reported to be in good health, according to his foreign minister Hamoudi Massoudou, and his physical safety has not been compromised.
Speaking on France 24, Mr. Massoudou, who is currently in Niamey and acting as the head of government (he was in Rome during the time of the attack), emphasized that the legal and legitimate authorities of Niger are still under President Bazoum's control. He urged the dissident officers to "align themselves" with the established authorities and assured them that any issues could be resolved through "dialogue."
West African mediation efforts, initiated with the arrival of Beninese President Patrice Talon in Niger on Wednesday, are aiming to find a solution to the crisis.
French diplomatic sources are exercising caution and suggest that the coup d'état may not be an actual reality. "There is a video of the mutineers claiming they have seized power, which may not be entirely accurate," the source points out.
NIGER, THE LAST WESTERN ALLY IN THE SAHEL
The coup d'état in Niger comes as a setback for the West, particularly for France, as it is set to lose one of its last allies in the Sahel region. The Sahel has been plagued by attacks from jihadist groups associated with the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, as well as by poverty and instability.
After Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger, a country with a population of 26.2 million and a major uranium exporter but struggling with poverty, has become the third Sahelian nation to experience a coup d'état since 2020.
Paris still has 1,500 troops in Niger, having ended the Barkhane anti-terrorist operation and left Mali under pressure from the Bamako junta.
"A successful coup in Niger would be a terrible blow for the region. Objectively, Bazoum was doing a lot to save his country, and was the ideal security partner for the West", wrote American analyst Michael Shurkin of the Atlantic Council on Linkedin on Wednesday.
As Vladimir Putin meets African leaders on Wednesday for a Russia-Africa summit at which he intends to discuss "a new world order", there is also a great fear that Russia, which is present in Mali via the mercenaries of the paramilitary group Wagner, will advance its pawns. "May Niger not appeal to Russia, which we can count on to aggravate all Niger's problems", wrote Mr Shurkin.
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