2023-08-01 09:15:00
The rupture is consummated. Between France and Niger, diplomatic relations have gone from bad to worse since the military coup, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, which overthrew the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. Since then, the skirmishes between the junta that took power and Paris have increased. The putschists following the model of Mali and Burkina Faso, neighboring countries where soldiers also took power: detaching themselves at all costs from the influence of the former colonial power. This Tuesday, August 1, the French Embassy in Niamey announced the evacuation of its nationals ” very soon “. “L’Obs” sums up this showdown in three acts.
• The putschists accuse France of wanting to intervene militarily
On Monday, the Nigerien putschists, who took power on July 26, accused France of “wanting to intervene militarily”. “In its line of action, going in the direction of finding ways and means to intervene militarily in Niger, France, with the complicity of certain Nigeriens, held a meeting at the staff of the National Guard of Niger , to obtain the necessary political and military authorizations” in order to reinstate Mohamed Bazoum, said a statement from the junta.
The sequel after the ad
In another press release, the putschists accuse “security services” of one “western chancellery”without specifying which one, of having fired tear gas on Sunday in Niamey at demonstrators supporting the junta, with “as a result six injured, taken care of by hospitals” of the capital. On Sunday, thousands of people demonstrated outside the French embassy in Niamey, before being dispersed by tear gas. The demonstration began with a march towards the National Assembly, at the call of some leaders of the putsch, during which signs were brandished calling for the withdrawal of the 1,500 French soldiers deployed in Niger. After the demonstration, some Nigerien officials even spoke to the press of the French firing live ammunition on the crowd.
Coup d’etat in Niger: “The anti-French feeling, minority, could switch to the majority”
The pressure on the putschists to restore “constitutional order” are increasingly strong, coming from all of Niger’s Western and African partners, a key country in the fight against the jihadist groups that have been ravaging the Sahel for years.
• “It’s wrong”, replies France
The head of French diplomacy Catherine Colonna, in the process, denied the accusations of the junta. ” It’s wrong “she said on BFMTV. “You have to dismantle the intox and not fall into the trap”also reacted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, about the anti-French slogans which notably flourished during the demonstration in front of the French embassy in Niamey on Sunday.
“We saw an organized demonstration, not spontaneous, violent, extremely dangerous, with Molotov cocktails, Russian flags which appeared, anti-French slogans copied and pasted from what we can have elsewhere”she lamented, noting “all the usual ingredients of Russian-African destabilization”.
The sequel after the ad
Viewing this video is likely to lead to the deposit of cookies by the operator of the video platform to which you will be directed. Given the refusal of the deposit of cookies that you have expressed, in order to respect your choice, we have blocked the playback of this video. If you wish to continue and play the video, you must give us your consent by clicking on the button below.
Play video
France has also denied reports that it used lethal means to disperse protesters. “Contrary to what some Nigerien military officials claim, no lethal means were used by the French security forces”declare in a joint press release the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
Niger: “Man with a fist”, a soldier from the shadows… Who is General Tiani, at the origin of the coup d’etat?
At the Elysée, it is pointed out that President Emmanuel Macron “actively monitors the current situation”. “He was able to exchange on several occasions with Presidents Bazoum and Issoufou [prédécesseur de Mohamed Bazoum]as well as with the Heads of State of ECOWAS [Communauté économique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest]and especially the presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Senegal and [avec] our European and international partners involved in resolving the Niger crisis”we said.
At the Quai d’Orsay, as at the Elysée, we strongly condemn the military putsch and we ask “the restoration of the constitutional order”.
• Mali and Burkina Faso step up
“Any military intervention against Niger” to restore the elected president Mohamed Bazoum ” would amount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali”, said Monday the two countries, themselves from coups, in a joint statement, adding fuel to the fire. This would entail a withdrawal of their countries from the Cedeao, as well as ” the adoption of self-defense measures in support of the armed forces and the people of Niger”.
The sequel after the ad
Niger, France’s last ally in the Sahel
In this press release, Mali and Burkina Faso “warn against the disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger which could destabilize the entire region”. And add that they “refuse to apply” THE “illegal, illegitimate and inhuman sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger” decided in Abuja, in reference to the ECOWAS summit held the day before in the capital of Nigeria.
On Sunday, leaders of the regional organization set a one-week deadline for the military junta in Niger to “full return to constitutional order”claiming not to exclude a “use of force” if this was not the case. They also decided to “suspend all commercial and financial transactions” between member states and Niger and to freeze the assets of military officials involved in the coup.
#return #acts #diplomatic #tensions #France #putschists