France offered logistics, intel support for ECOWAS Niger intervention

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Oct 2023 23:06

Macron asked his counterparts in ECOWAS if they were serious about intervening militarily in Niger and offered to provide logistical and intelligence support.

The defense chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries excluding Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Niger, pose for a group photo during their extraordinary meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on Aug. 4, 2023, to discuss the situation in Niger (AP Photo/Chinedu Asadu, File)

French President Emmanuel Macron has offered to provide logistical and intelligence support to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) if the bloc decides to intervene militarily in Niger, Paris-based magazine Jeune Afrique reported on Thursday.

According to the report, Macron reached out to his counterparts in ECOWAS via video link on September 24 and warned them that French Ambassador to Niger Sylvain Itte and the French navy ship on standby in the port of Dakar could not remain in their positions indefinitely. He urged them to take action to deploy contingents from Senegal and Ivory Coast to Benin via Abidjan.

Macron asked his counterparts in ECOWAS if they were serious about intervening militarily in Niger and offered to provide logistical and intelligence support, the report said.

The report states Macron announced a few days later that France was withdrawing its ambassador and troops from Niger by the end of the year.

However, the announcement came out the same day as Macron's call for action.

On July 26, Abdourahamane Tchiani overthrew the pro-West incumbent president Mohammed Bazzoum during a military coup led by the presidential guard.

France was quick to condemn the coup. Macron warned the military junta of a swift and firm retaliation if their interests were threatened in the country. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, similarly affirmed his support for the ousted president and expressed his commitment to restore his government.

On July 30th, ECOWAS froze Niger's assets, imposed sanctions on the junta officials, and gave a stern warning of military intervention if the former government is not restored within a week's deadline.

Since then, the Nigerien junta slowly consolidated and legitimized its authority, and France has backed down from escalating after demanding the reinstallment of Mohammad Bazzoum.