The military coup in Niger

 

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (second from left) received other West African leaders of the ECOWAS cooperation organization for a lightning meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on July 30, 2023. Chinedu Asadu/AP  

 

Unsuccessful mediation attempt - deadline soon to expire  

 

The West African Union Ecowas' mediation attempt in Niger yesterday failed, writes AFP. The ambition was to negotiate with the military junta after the coup last week. But the delegation was not allowed to meet either the coup leader Abdourahamane Tiani or the ousted president Mohamed Bazoum. Neither did they stop in the capital Niamey overnight as planned.  

 

After last week's military coup, the Ecowas junta was given a week to return power to Bazoum. The deadline expires this weekend, which suggests that the coup plotters in Niger are preparing for an armed conflict, TT writes.  

 

 

Supporters of Niger's military junta. Sam Mednick / AP

  

French media blocked by junta in Niger - condemned  

 

Several French media companies have been blocked by the military junta in Niger following last week's coup in the country. This is reported by international media. The decision, which among other things affects France 24 and RFI's broadcasts, is condemned by France.  

 

In a statement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes the blocking as a "serious violation of fundamental freedoms" and writes that it will not stop fighting for freedom of expression and freedom of the press.  

 

After the popularly elected president Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a coup last week, France withdrew its aid to Niger, prompting violent protests. 

 

 

Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum. Archive image. Michel Euler / AP  

 

Bazoum: I am being held hostage - the outside world must act  

 

The coup plotters in Niger must be stopped - otherwise there will be devastating consequences for the world. That's what the country's deposed president Mohamad Bazoum writes in an opinion piece in the Washington Post. He warns that the entire Sahel region could end up in the hands of the Russian Wagner group if the outside world does not act.  

 

“I am writing this as a hostage. Niger is under attack from a military junta that is trying to overthrow our democracy and I am just one of hundreds of citizens who have been arbitrarily and illegally imprisoned.” 

 

Folkvalde Bazoum was deposed last week in a military coup. Since then, several countries have recalled their embassy staff and several countries, including Sweden, are advising citizens against traveling to Niger.