Title: French Foreign Minister Rejects Allegations of Involvement in Niger Coup, Expresses Hope for President’s Restoration
Subtitle: Colonel Accuses Toppled Niger Government of Authorizing French Attack on Presidential Palace
Date: [Insert Date]
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has vehemently rejected allegations made by the coup leaders in Niger that the toppled government had authorized France to carry out an attack on the presidential palace in an attempt to free President Mohamed Bazoum. The coup plotters claimed that the authorization was signed by Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou, acting as prime minister. However, the whereabouts of Massoudou and Bazoum remain unknown.
Colonel Amadou Abdramane, one of the coup plotters, made these claims on Monday during a broadcast on state television. The allegations have been dismissed by France, with Foreign Minister Colonna stating that it is still “possible” to restore Bazoum to power.
Niger’s incumbent President Bazoum, who is considered a Western ally, was toppled last Wednesday by the elite Presidential Guard. The Guard’s chief, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, declared himself the leader, but his claim has been dismissed internationally. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has given Tchiani a week to hand back power.
Expressing concerns over the situation, Bazoum’s PNDS party warned on Monday that Niger risks transforming into a “dictatorial and totalitarian regime” following a series of arrests. According to the party, the oil and mining ministers and the head of PNDS’s national executive committee were among those arrested. The coup leaders had previously detained the interior minister, the transport minister, and a former defense minister.
The coup leaders accused France of attempting to intervene militarily in Niger, stating that they held a meeting with the chief of staff of the Nigerien national guard to obtain the necessary political and military authorization. In response, Minister Colonna dismissed these allegations and emphasized the importance of restoring the democratically elected president to power for the stability of Niger and its neighboring countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron has also shown support for immediate action in case French citizens or interests are attacked. Following a rally outside the French embassy in Niamey, where tear gas was used to disperse protesters attempting to enter the compound, President Macron promised “immediate and uncompromising” action if necessary.
The Presidential Guard, which seized power last week and held Bazoum inside the palace, has warned against any foreign attempts to extract the president, claiming it would result in bloodshed and chaos. ECOWAS has also issued a warning, stating that it may use force if Bazoum is not reinstated within a week and imposing strict sanctions on Niger, including suspending all commercial and financial transactions with the country and freezing assets in regional central banks.
Economic sanctions could have devastating effects on Niger, a country heavily reliant on imports from Nigeria for up to 90 percent of its power. Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou stated that Niger needs to find a solution to avoid the potential disastrous consequences of the sanctions.
Niger, a landlocked country, has had a tumultuous political history since gaining independence in 1960, with several coups and attempted coups. Prior to the recent coup, there had been two previous attempts against President Bazoum.
As the situation in Niger unfolds, the international community awaits further developments and hopes for a peaceful resolution that restores stability and democracy in the country.