AU asks military in Niger to ‘return to their barracks’ within 15 days
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The AU's Peace and Security Council "condemns in the strongest terms possible" the overthrow of the elected government and its President Mohamed Bazoum.
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The photo is AFP-obtained from an ORTN-Télé Sahel video on July 28, 2023, showing General Abdourahamane Tchiani (AFP)
After seizing control in a coup, the African Union has requested that the military in Niger "return to their barracks and restore constitutional authority" within 15 days.
Following a meeting on the Niger coup on Friday, the African Union's Peace and Security Council issued a declaration demanding that the military troops "immediately and unconditionally return to their barracks and restore constitutional authority, within a maximum of fifteen (15) days."
Read next: Change of regime in Niger could be a blow to the West: Politico
It expressed extreme worry over the "alarming resurgence" of military coups throughout Africa and "condemns in the strongest terms possible" the toppling of the elected government and its President Mohamed Bazoum.
On Wednesday, members of the Nigerien military said in a statement broadcast on national television that they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum, closed borders, and imposed a curfew in the country "until further notice."
It came hours after members of the presidential guard detained Bazoum at his residence and sealed off access to offices in the Nigerien capital of Niamey.
The abovementioned Politico report claimed that the US and France consider Niger as "a strategic country" in the fight against terrorism, adding that the country is "one of the last Sahel nations that hasn’t deepened cooperation with Russia to the West’s detriment."
Earlier on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron described the coup as "completely illegitimate and profoundly dangerous, for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the whole region," calling for the release of Bazoum.
This comes after Nigerien military rebels reported on Thursday that a French military aircraft violated Niger's air border closure, which had been implemented in response to the recent coup in the country.
The French aircraft, identified as an A400M military plane, landed at Niamey's international airport at 6:30 am local time (05:30 GMT), despite the order to close both air and land borders.
The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, which is now in de facto control of Niger, made this claim during a televised address.
Despite being confined to his residence by his own presidential guard since the coup began, President Bazoum defiantly stated that the country's hard-won democratic progress would be safeguarded.
He received backing from international organizations and allies, including Germany, the United States, and France.
Although the coup faced disapproval from various countries and organizations, the head of the armed forces, General Abdou Sidikou Issa, expressed his support for the coup leaders to prevent further confrontations.
It is worth noting that Niger, a landlocked and impoverished nation, has a history of political instability, having experienced four coups since gaining independence from ex-colonizer France in 1960. The recent coup adds to the already troubled situation in the Sahel region of Africa, where insurgency and coups have been prevalent in neighboring countries like Mali and Burkina Faso.
A short background
The situation has raised concerns about potential instability and security risks in the region. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded the immediate release of President Bazoum, asserting his legitimacy as the lawful president of Niger.
International leaders, including those from the United Nations, the United States, and Russia, have called for peaceful dialogue and the release of President Bazoum, expressing concerns about the potential impact on security and humanitarian operations in Niger.
Since the start of the Ukrainian conflict, the African continent has been swept by a wave of change fueled by a sentiment of anti-Western imperialism.
Burkina Faso and Mali, which are also part of the Sahel, have in recent years transitioned to military governments via coups by toppling Western-backed leaders.
On June 23, Niger's parliament approved a new national anthem, marking the first steps to free the country of any relics of French colonization.
