2023-07-27 21:06:52
Paris “strongly condemns the coup against the civil and democratic authorities” of Niger and calls for “release of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family” sequestered by the putschists, said Thursday, July 27 the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We call for respect and immediate restoration of the integrity of democratic institutions in Niger”continues the Quai d’Orsay. “We support regional efforts to find an urgent solution to the crisis that respects Niger’s democratic framework and allows the immediate restoration of civil authority”adds the ministry.
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Niger: President retained, warning shots, mediation… What we know about the attempted coup
The Nigerien army on Thursday granted its support to the putschist soldiers who have sequestered President Bazoum for more than 24 hours in the presidency in Niamey and who have suspended the institutions and announced the closure of the borders. The putschists accused France of being “passed over” to this last measure by landing a military plane in Niamey.
A thousand French in Niger
“The A400M plane which landed on the night of July 26 to 27 had left before the decision to close the borders and had an official flight plan which had been validated with the military authorities of the airport”, underlines a French diplomatic source. According to this source, the situation remains “still very confused” in the field. Paris had contacts with the sequestered President Bazoum, she adds.
This source repeated that the safety of the thousand French people living in Niger was the ” priority “ of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and called for the « vigilance ».
Niger, France’s last ally in the Sahel
Although pro-coup demonstrators waved Russian flags on Thursday, amid Moscow’s growing influence in the Sahel via Wagner’s mercenaries, the diplomatic source said Paris had no “no evidence” any involvement of this paramilitary organization in the coup. “But Russia has a good history of opportunistic use of this kind of situation”she added.
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For its part, the NGO Human Rights Watch called in a statement “the military forces responsible for the coup in Niger” To “immediately restore fundamental human rights”.
“We are looking at the situation hour by hour”
Many French companies are also present in Niger in industry (Castel), water distribution (Veolia) and civil engineering (Vinci). But the most represented activity is the exploitation of uranium with the company Orano. Ex-Areva, which specializes in the nuclear fuel cycle, has operated two uranium mines in northern Niger for 50 years, Somaïr (Aïr mining company) and Akokan mining company (Cominak): the latter closed in 2021, but is undergoing a major redevelopment project.
“Since yesterday (Wednesday), we are still in contact with the local authorities on site to follow the evolution of the situation. […] We are looking at the situation day by day and hour by hour.explained a spokeswoman for the company to AFP.
“Jihadist groups are advancing as we withdraw from Mali”
Niger, a poor country with a history of coups, was one of France’s last allies in the Sahel, a region plagued by instability, precariousness and jihadist attacks. The coup in Niamey is the third in this area since 2020, after the arrival of soldiers in power in Mali and Burkina Faso.
France, which ended the Barkhane counterterrorism operation and withdrew from Mali under pressure from the Bamako junta, currently has 1,500 troops deployed in Niger.
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