The US government has denounced the ongoing military coup in the African nation of Niger in a series of strong statements released over the past week. Most recently, Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken joined international calls for Niger’s junta to release ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Secretary Blinken’s comments were made following an extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where a number of African leaders condemned the coup in the strongest terms. Held in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, the final communique from the summit declared the coup unconstitutional, announced the freezing of assets and travel bans on all those involved in addition to the closure of borders and trade between ECOWAS members and Niger with immediate effect.
Blinken said in response, “We join ECOWAS and regional leaders in calling for the immediate release of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family and the restoration of all state functions to the legitimate, democratically elected government.
“The United States will remain actively engaged with ECOWAS and West African leaders on next steps to preserve Niger’s hard-earned democracy,” he added.
US officials have remained actively engaged with the situation in Niger since it began in late July. In recent comments, Vice President Kamala Harris also condemned “any efforts to seize power by force in Niger, and emphasized that our substantial cooperation with the Government of Niger is contingent on Niger’s continued commitment to democratic standards,” in a readout shared by the White House.
Meanwhile, the French authorities issued a series of statements about the situation in their former colony condemning an attack on their embassy in the Nigerien capital Niamey on July 30.
A joint press release issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for the Armed Forces stated, “France reiterates that the safety of diplomatic premises and staff, as well as foreign residents, are obligations under international law, particularly the Vienna Conventions.”
“The French Embassy in Niamey was violently attacked yesterday by groups which were clearly prepared and which the Nigerien security forces could not bring fully under control,” the release continued.
French authorities also denied claims made by the Nigerien junta that their forces responded with force when dealing with the embassy attack, stating “no lethal resources were used by the French security forces.”
Ismael David Mujahid
Managing Editor