Niger loses aid as Western countries condemn coup

Niamey — The EU and France cut off financial support to Niger and the US has threatened to follow suit after military leaders last week announced they had overthrown democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

After an emergency meeting on Friday, the AU issued a statement demanding that armed forces return to their barracks and restore constitutional order within 15 days. It did not say what would happen after that.

Niger is one of the poorest countries, getting nearly $2bn a year in  development assistance, according to the World Bank. It is also a security partner of former colonial power France and the US, which both use it as a base to fight an Islamist insurgency in West and Central Africa’s wider Sahel region.

Niger’s foreign allies so far have refused to recognise the new military government led by Gen Abdourahamane Tiani, previously head of the presidential guard. Military officers declared him head of state on Friday.

Bazoum has not been heard from since early Thursday when he was confined to the presidential palace. The EU, France and others say they still recognise him as legitimate president.

“In addition to the immediate cessation of budget support, all co-operation actions in the domain of security are suspended indefinitely with immediate effect,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

The French foreign ministry said France suspended all development aid and budget support immediately, demanding a prompt return to constitutional order with Bazoum back in charge. French development aid for Niger was at about €120m in 2022, and expected to be slightly higher this year.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said: “The very significant assistance that we have in place for people in Niger is clearly in jeopardy.”

The US has two military bases in Niger with 1,100 soldiers, and also provides hundreds of millions of dollars to the country in security and development aid.

Uncertainty

On the bustling streets of the capital Niamey, business owners worry about uncertainty damaging trade, and about the prospect of financial flows from abroad drying up abruptly.

“We’ve noticed that our clientele have dropped. There are hardly any customers at all,” lamented electronics shop owner Abdoul Karim Mahama.

Niamey-based economist Abdoulaye Soly said: “All externally funded projects will come to a halt. Development projects financed by the EU, World Bank, IMF and others will be halted. Budgetary aid given to Niger will be stopped.”

Niger is a key partner of the EU in helping curb the flow of irregular migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. The EU also has a few troops in Niger for a military training mission.

The bloc allocated €503m from its budget to improve governance, education and sustainable growth in Niger from 2021 to 2024, according to its website. Through its European Peace Facility, the EU had approved about €70m to support Niger’s armed forces since July last year, including €4.7m of weapons approved on June 8.

The UN said the coup has not affected its deliveries of humanitarian aid.

It was difficult to assess how much support the coup has among the population. Some crowds came out in support of Bazoum on Wednesday, but the next day coup supporters also took to the streets.

The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the West African Monetary Union were to hold emergency summits in Nigeria on Sunday on the situation. Further economic and financial sanctions could be decided.

Reuters