West African leaders will discuss Niger on Thursday after the junta that seized power there on July 26 defied a deadline to reinstate the ousted president or face the threat of military intervention, a spokesman for the ECOWAS regional bloc said on Monday. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
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9:05pm: Mali warns of 'catastrophe' if ECOWAS intervenes in Niger
A military intervention in Niger by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore the ousted president could be a "catastrophe", Mali's head of diplomacy warned on Monday.
President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown in a military coup on July 26, and ECOWAS had threatened possible military intervention if he was not restored by Sunday.
Neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, both run by juntas, have expressed their opposition to any use of force against the putschists.
8:50pm: US says 'window of opportunity' open to reverse Niger coup
The United States said Monday it still saw a chance to end Niger's coup diplomatically, after the military ignored an ultimatum to restore the elected government.
"The window of opportunity is definitely still open. We believe that the junta should step aside and let President (Mohamed) Bazoum resume his duties," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
8:14pm: EU sees room for mediation on Niger ahead of regional summit
The European Union said on Monday it still saw some room for mediation in Niger, where a junta seized power last month, ahead of an emergency summit by regional leaders later this week.
“The EU still thinks there is some room for mediation until Thursday 10 August, when ECOWAS is holding another Extraordinary Summit on the situation in Niger,” an EU spokesperson said via email.
3:49pm: Closure of airspace complicates certain air services in Africa
The closure of Niger's airspace by the military who have seized power in Niamey is complicating services to certain African destinations by European airlines, which had to make some urgent adjustments on Monday.
Shortly after the closure of Niger's airspace "until further notice", several aircrafts in flight were immediately forced to divert.
Flights from Libreville, Douala, Kinshasa and Cotonou bound for Paris had to return to their point of departure to refuel in anticipation of a longer journey to get around the vast territory of Niger, Air France-KLM told AFP.
FRANCE 24's James Vasina and Jules Boiteau explain:
2:47pm: West African regional bloc to hold summit on Niger, says spokesperson
West African regional bloc ECOWAS will hold a summit in Nigeria's capital Abuja on Thursday to discuss the coup in Niger, ECOWAS spokesperson Emos Lungu told Reuters on Monday.
2:42pm: Any attempt to fly over Niger would be met with an 'immediate response'
The junta that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger has ignored the deadline set by ECOWAS. The bloc had given them until Sunday night to reinstate the president, threatening it with military force otherwise.
Instead, the soldiers have closed Niger's airspace and warned that any attempt to fly over the country would be met with an "immediate response".
1:59pm: Sanctions on Niger could have worrying 'humanitarian consequences'
Increased sanctions on Niger are likely to follow the expiry of the ECOWAS deadline for the junta to cede power yesterday, according to Dr Alex Vines, head of the Africa Programme at London-based think tank Chatham House.
In one of the world's poorest countries, he said, such sanctions could take a heavy toll.
"Some of the sanctions look to me not targeted, but very blunt, and I do worry about some of the humanitarian consequences," Vines told FRANCE 24.
12:58pm: France warns against all travel to Niger
France warns against all travel in Niger, the foreign ministry said on its website.
"French nationals in Niger should be extremely vigilant: it is essential to limit travel, to stay away from any gatherings and to keep themselves regularly informed of the situation."
12:57pm: Germany urges diplomatic solution in Niger
Germany's foreign ministry called for a diplomatic solution to the junta takeover in Niger after the ECOWAS deadline for restoring the elected government to power expired on Sunday.
"We support ECOWAS in its mediation efforts, which are still ongoing," a ministry spokesman told a press briefing on Monday.
The expiry of the bloc's deadline did not mean there would automatically be military action, he added.
"We hope that these (mediation) efforts will ultimately lead to success and that constitutional order will be restored in Niger."
12:39pm: Air France suspends flights to and from Mali and Burkina Faso after Niger airspace closure
Air France has suspended flights to and from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and Bamako in Mali until August 11, the company said on Monday. The announcement came after Niger's junta closed the country's airspace on Sunday.
12:06pm: Germany says Niger airspace closure is setback for armed forces
Every day that Germany cannot fly over Niger's airspace is a setback for the German armed forces, a spokesperson for the defence ministry in Berlin said on Monday.
Niger closed its airspace on Sunday until further notice, complicating the withdrawal of German troops from neighbouring Mali.
11:35am: Mali, Burkina Faso to send delegation to coup-hit Niger, says Malian army
Mali and Burkina Faso are going to send a joint official delegation in a show of solidarity with Niger, which is under the control of the coup leader who toppled the elected government.
"Burkina Faso and Mali are sending a delegation to Niamey," the Malian army said. "The aim: to demonstrate the solidarity of the two countries with the brotherly people of Niger."
The delegation is expected to arrive in Niger on Monday, according to Niger's foreign ministry.
Niger's coup leaders defied a Sunday deadline from the West African bloc ECOWAS to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum or face possible military action.
Mali and Burkina Faso, where the military also took power by force in 2020 and 2022, warned in a joint statement that they would consider military intervention by ECOWAS as a declaration of war.
11:14am: Chinese embassy advises nationals to leave Niger
Chinese nationals in Niger should leave for a third country or return home for temporary refuge if there is no reason to stay in the West African country, the Chinese embassy in Niger said in a statement on its website on Monday.
The embassy added Chinese nationals with near-term plans to visit Niger should refrain from travel unless necessary.
8:40am: ECOWAS playing a 'dangerous game' as deadline passes
The expiration of the deadline set by ECOWAS for Niger’s junta to return power to the country’s ousted president has clarified the intentions of the country’s new military leadership, said FRANCE 24 senior reporter James André. Instead of entering negotiations for a power transfer, he said, “the junta aren’t talking to anyone, they are just staying there and bracing for whatever’s going to happen”.
ECOWAS are now playing a “dangerous game”, André added. The organisation, which threatened military intervention if its terms were not met, has given no further details of how it plans respond to the expired deadline.
“It’s all about credibility," he said. "The question is, what do you put on the table to force a junta to step down?”
7:31am: Italy calls on ECOWAS to extend Niger ultimatum
ECOWAS should prolong its deadline for the reinstatement of Niger's ousted president, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview published on Monday.
"The only way is the diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today," Tajani told La Stampa newspaper.
5:23am: Niger closes airspace over 'threat of intervention' as junta defies deadline
Niger closed its airspace due to the "threat of intervention" as the junta defied a deadline from the West African bloc ECOWAS to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum or face possible military action.
ECOWAS issued its ultimatum a week ago, demanding the generals relinquish power by midnight Sunday (2300 GMT).
"Faced with the threat of intervention, which is becoming clearer through the preparation of neighbouring countries, Niger's airspace is closed from this day on Sunday ... for all aircraft until further notice," the junta said in a statement released shortly before the deadline passed.
Any attempt to violate the country's airspace would meet with an "energetic and immediate response", the statement added.
Early Monday, there were no aircraft operating in Niger's skies, according to the flight tracking website Flightradar24.
In a separate statement, the now-ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) said there had been a "pre-deployment in preparation for intervention" made by two Central African countries, without naming them.
"Any state involved will be considered co-belligerent," it warned.
Key developments from Sunday, August 6:
A one-week deadline set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for coup leaders in Niger to restore elected President Mohamed Bazoum to power expired on Sunday evening, raising the prospect of possible military intervention in the West African country.
Senators in ECOWAS member Nigeria urged President Bola Tinubu, the current chair of the regional bloc, not to intervene militarily. Other non-ECOWAS members including Chad and Algeria have equally spoken against military intervention.
In Niger, thousands of coup supporters gathered at a stadium in the capital Niamey to cheer on the generals claiming power.
Niger's military rulers announced Sunday that they had closed the country's airspace, warning that any attempt to violate it would meet with an "energetic and immediate response".
Read yesterday's liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
