Britain backed a regional diplomatic scramble underway on Thursday to defuse tensions in Niger, as the West African country’s deposed president vowed to resist a military takeover.
Andrew Mitchell, the Foreign Office minister for Africa, slammed the coup and said the government was closely monitoring the situation as the US urged its citizens to avoid affected areas.
“The UK condemns in the strongest possible terms any attempt to undermine stability and democracy in Niger,” Mr Mitchell said.
“The UK joins the African Union and Economic Community of West African States in their calls to end the unacceptable events seen today, and to ensure the full and swift restoration of Niger’s democratically elected institutions,” he said.
A group of soldiers appeared on the former French colony’s national television on Wednesday night to declare they had removed President Mohamed Bazoum from power, and he was being held in the presidential palace.
They said they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the nation’s borders.
In the TV announcement on Wednesday, Col Maj Amadou Abdramane, said alongside nine other uniformed soldiers: “We, the defence and security forces... have decided to put an end to the regime you know.
“This follows the continuing deterioration of the security situation, and poor economic and social governance.”
However, Mr Bazoum gained access to social media on Thursday and declared that Niger’s "hard-won gains will be safeguarded", condemning the wider region’s seventh coup since 2020.
The country's foreign minister Hassoumi Massoudou also tweeted an appeal for "all democrats and patriots" to ensure the coup fails.
Land-locked Niger has become a key ally for Western powers against Islamist insurgencies in the region, but military efforts have been undermined by coups in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.
Niger is also an EU ally in the fight against illegal migration from sub-Saharan Africa, which is fuelling Britain’s small boats crisis.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres both said they had spoken to Mr Bazoum and offered their full support to his government.
“The US condemns efforts to subvert Niger’s constitutional order by force, and underscores that our partnership depends on the continuation of democratic governance,” Mr Blinken said, as European governments also denounced the takeover.
