The African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday condemned an “attempted coup d'état" in Niger and called for President Mohamed Bazoum to be liberated amid reports that members of the presidential guard were holding him inside his palace. The EU's foreign policy chief said Brussels was also "very concerned about current events in Niamey".
In a statement posted on social media, Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat of the African Union Commission expressed his strong condemnation in reaction to reports that members of Niger's presidential guard had detained President Mohamed Bazoum inside the palace.
"Informed of an attempt by certain members of the military to undermine the stability of democratic and republican institutions in Niger, which is tantamount to an attempted coup d'état, [Faki] strongly condemns such actions by members of the military," he said, adding that they amount to a “total betrayal” of duty.
ECOWAS and its member countries are monitoring the situation in Niger and will do everything within their power to protect its democracy, Chairman Bola Tinubu said in a message posted on the X social network formerly known as Twitter.
"The ECOWAS leadership will not accept any action that impedes the smooth functioning of legitimate authority in Niger or any part of West Africa," said Tinubu, who is also Nigeria’s president.
The president of neighbouring Benin, Patrice Talon, said he was on his way to Niger to assess the situation after meeting with ECOWAS chairman Tinubu.
"All means will be used, if necessary, to restore constitutional order in Niger, but the ideal would be for everything to be done in peace and harmony," Talon told reporters in Abuja.
Earlier in the day, the official social media account of Niger’s presidency posted: "The President of the Republic and his family are well," adding that the presidential guards (GP) had failed to secure support from the other elements of the security services in this "fit of pique".
EU slams threat to 'stability'
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell said he was "very concerned about current events in Niamey", adding Brussels' condemnation of any "attempts to destabilise the democracy and threaten the stability of Niger".
A statement from France’s foreign ministry said Paris “strongly condemns any attempt to seize power by force” in Niger, adding that France is "concerned" and is "closely following the development of the situation".
UN chief Antonio Guterres also condemned "any effort to seize power by force". A UN spokesman said that Guterres later spoke with Bazoum and expressed "his full support and solidarity".
The White House issued a statement calling for Bazoum’s release. "The United States is deeply concerned about today's developments in Niger," the White House said. "We specifically urge elements of the presidential guard to release President Bazoum from detention and refrain from violence."
A key Western ally
Bazoum was elected president of Niger in 2021, taking the helm of a country mired in poverty and burdened by a history of chronic instability.
His election was Niger’s first democratic transition of power following four military coups since the country gained independence from France in 1960.
A military unit tried to seize the presidential palace in March 2021 days before Bazoum was due to be sworn in, but the attempted coup was thwarted.
Read moreNiger becomes France’s partner of last resort after Mali withdrawal
A military takeover in Niger could further complicate Western efforts to help countries in the Sahel region fight a jihadist insurgency that has spread from Mali over the past decade.
Niger has become a pivotal ally for Western powers seeking to help fight the insurgency but facing growing acrimony from the new juntas in charge in Mali and Burkina Faso. It is also a key European Union ally in the fight against irregular migration from sub-Saharan Africa.
The United States says it has spent around $500 million since 2012 to help Niger boost its security. Germany announced in April that it would take part in a three-year European military mission aimed at improving the country's military.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
