More than 180 government officials arrested! What was the impact of the Niger coup?, President arrested in Niger | Region | Government
According to a report from CCTV News on August 1st, on July 31st local time, Hamid Engad, spokesperson for the ruling party for Democracy and Socialism in Niger, announced that since the coup on July 26th, the military has arrested over 180 elected government officials, including Fumachoye Gado, chairman of the ruling party for Democracy and Socialism, Usseini Hadizatu, Minister of Mines, and Mahaman Sani Muhammadu, Minister of Oil.
Among them, Mahaman Sani Muhammadu served as the Minister of Oil, Energy, and Sustainable Energy of Niger from April 2021, and was appointed as the Minister of Oil after the restructuring in April 2022. He is the son of former Nigerian President Isuf.
According to previous reports, on July 26th local time, some members of the Niger Presidential Guard detained President Bazum and announced that the military regime would take over national affairs. On the 28th, the military leader of the Niger coup, Chiani, took office as the Chairman of the National Committee for the Defense of the Motherland and signed a statement announcing the suspension of the implementation of the constitution and the dissolution of the government.
After the incident, the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States, and the African Union expressed condemnation and demanded that the Niger coup soldiers release Bazum, restore his presidential powers, and announce measures such as cutting off financial support and long-term development assistance to Niger, suspending bilateral cooperation with Niger, etc.
Previously reported
The President has been detained! Niger soldiers declare "overthrow of regime"
Soldiers detain the President! Urgent reminder from the Chinese Embassy
Image French Announcement: Evacuation!
On August 1st local time, according to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France will begin a evacuation operation in Niger from that day, withdrawing French nationals and other European nationals who wish to leave. It is estimated that Niger has approximately 600 French citizens, excluding visiting French tourists.
Earlier, according to Agence France Presse, a military coup occurred in Niger, and after France suspended its aid to Niger, the French Embassy in Niger was attacked. Thousands of protesters who supported the Nigerian military gathered outside the French Embassy in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on July 30th local time, with some attempting to enter the building.
The Italian government stated that it is arranging a "special flight" for Italians who want to leave Niger, but added that this is "not an evacuation.". Niamey has approximately 90 Italian citizens, while Niger has less than 500 Italian citizens nationwide.
The leader of the Niger coup declared himself the "new leader" of the country
According to Reuters, on the 28th local time, Nigerian coup leader Abdulrahman Chiani announced on Nigerian national television that he has become the chairman of the Niger National Defense Council. An official stated in a statement that the chairman is a national leader.
According to Agence France Presse, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on the 28th that France does not recognize the "new leaders" of Niger who have seized power. France believes that President Bazum of Niger remains the "only president" of the country.
In addition, the EU has threatened to reduce aid to Niger, calling it a "serious attack on stability and democracy.". The United States has also warned that it may "cease security and other cooperation," but its approximately 1000 soldiers stationed in Niger are currently on standby.
The Niger military announced the reopening of land and air borders with five neighboring countries
On August 1st local time, the Niger military announced on national television that the land and air borders between Niger and Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, and Chad have been reopened.
On the evening of July 26th, Niger's coup soldiers announced a blockade of the country's borders.
Several European countries are withdrawing from Niger, while several African countries are opposing the use of force
The first French evacuation plane from Niger arrived in Paris, the capital of France, in the early hours of the 2nd local time. Italy and other European countries are also beginning to evacuate from Niger. The White House of the United States has stated that there are currently no plans for the evacuation of overseas Chinese.
Niger's coup soldiers announced on the 1st the reopening of land and air borders with five neighboring countries.
[Refusal of overseas Chinese and non withdrawal of troops]
The Niger coup soldiers announced on the evening of the 1st through national television that the land and air borders with Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, and Chad would be reopened from that day onwards.
Niger is a landlocked country in western Africa, bordered by neighboring countries such as Nigeria and Benin.
The first French evacuation plane took off from the capital of Niger, Niamey, and returned to China. According to French officials cited by the Associated Press, after coordinating with the coup military, the French side has dispatched at least three passenger planes and is expected to complete the evacuation of approximately 600 French citizens and 400 citizens from other European countries on the 2nd.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Cologne told Agence France Presse that the first evacuation plane carried 262 people, including more than a dozen infants; In addition to French citizens, there are also citizens of other European countries. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that some African and Middle Eastern citizens were also evacuated on the same plane.
Earlier on the 1st, the French Embassy in Niger notified French citizens in Niger that due to the impact of the French Embassy on July 30th by Nigerian citizens who supported the coup, and the difficulty of normal departure caused by Niger's airspace closure, the French government has decided to evacuate during a relatively calm period in Niamey.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on social media on the 1st that the Italian government will arrange a chartered plane to Niamey to pick up its citizens. The Spanish Ministry of Defense announced preparations to evacuate more than 70 of its citizens. The German government urges its citizens to accept French withdrawal assistance.
However, the French military stated that approximately 1500 French military personnel stationed in Niger are "not on the schedule.".
John Kirby, Coordinator of Strategic Communications at the National Security Council of the United States, said on the 1st that the United States has noticed the evacuation of French and other European countries, but has "not seen any signs of direct threat to American citizens or facilities," and therefore has not changed its stance on the situation in Niger.
Kirby confirmed that the United States has approximately 1000 troops stationed in Niger to carry out anti-terrorism missions and train the Niger military. The US has no intention of having the US military assist in the evacuation of foreign nationals, nor does it have a withdrawal plan.
He said the White House believes there is still a diplomatic window to resolve this crisis.
Oppose the use of force
Agence France Presse reported that former Nigerian President Abdul Salami Haji Abubakar led a delegation from the Western Community to Niger on the 2nd to mediate.
Last weekend, Chad's transitional president Mohammad Idris Deby arrived in Niger, also attempting to mediate. A photo released by multiple media outlets on the evening of July 30th showed that Deby saw Niger's President Mohammad Bazum, who was detained by the Presidential Guard. The two sat on a sofa in the Presidential Palace, with Bazum smiling. This is the first photo of Bazum released after the coup in Niger.
On July 26th, some members of the Niger Presidential Guard detained Bazum and subsequently announced the establishment of the National Defense Committee, which will take over national affairs. The Chairman of the Committee will be Abdulrahman Chiani, the captain of the Presidential Guard. The coup soldiers claimed that the reason for the coup was the deterioration of the national security situation and inadequate government governance.
On July 30th, the Western Community held an emergency summit, demanding that coup soldiers release Bazum within a week and restore his presidential powers. Otherwise, "all necessary measures" will be taken to restore Niger's constitutional order, and the use of force will not be ruled out.
On the 1st of this month, the Western Community announced that the defense ministers of member countries will hold a special meeting in the Nigerian capital Abuja from the 2nd to the 4th to discuss responding to the Niger coup.
However, the transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali issued a joint statement on July 31, warning that any military intervention in Niger would be equivalent to declaring war on Burkina Faso and Mali, which could lead to their withdrawal from the Western Community. According to the Associated Press, Guinea, another member of the Western Community, which is governed by military personnel, has also issued a statement supporting Niger's coup soldiers.
Algeria, a North African country, stated on the 1st that it opposes military intervention in Niger and supports the peaceful restoration of Niger's constitutional order and the restoration of the power of legitimate leader Bazum. The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that foreign military intervention intentions will make the current crisis more complex and dangerous, and restoring order through peaceful means will contribute to the security and stability of Niger and the entire region.
The Associated Press quoted some Niger affairs analysts as saying that if the Western Community intervenes by force, it may trigger a civil war between Niger's supporters and opponents of the coup.
Ivan Loshkalev, a researcher at the Center for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in Russia, believes that the Western Community does not want to escalate regional tensions and is unlikely to send troops to Niger.
In an interview with the Russian satellite news agency, Loshkalev said that some neighboring countries in Niger oppose Western Community military intervention and have "even almost promised to help" the Niger military regime. Considering the dissatisfaction of some member states, the Western Community may avoid playing the role of police.
Loshkalev believes that the Western Community will increase its pressure, especially in terms of rhetoric, but may still make concessions in the end. The Western Community hopes to maintain the existence of this regional organization, and the possibility of initiating formal negotiations with the Niger coup soldiers will increase.
On August 1st local time, the United Nations Secretary General's Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Simang, stated that unless the political crisis in Niger is resolved, the security situation in the entire West African region may deteriorate. Simang also emphasized the necessity of peace and expressed support for the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States to restore constitutional order and consolidate the democratic achievements of Niger.
When asked if he was concerned about the potential impact of the Niger crisis on a wider region, Simang stated that if measures are not taken or the situation is not reversed, the spread of terrorism in the region is likely to intensify.
Screenshots of previous reports. What is the impact of the sudden coup in Niger?
Niger is located in the Sahel region of West Africa. As a former French colony and adjacent to Libya, the main source of EU refugees, the EU has always been concerned about the situation in Niger. At present, the EU has a capacity building mission in Niger to assist in counter-terrorism and combating organized crime. It also provides long-term humanitarian assistance to Niger to help address thorny issues such as health, education, displacement, and famine.
On the evening of the 26th local time, Nigerian coup soldiers announced that they had overthrown Nigerian President Bazum. On the 27th, the Niger military issued a statement on social media accounts in response to the latest situation, announcing support for coup soldiers. The statement emphasizes that the military is unwilling to engage in internal confrontation within the military, but also states that external military intervention, regardless of where it comes from, will have catastrophic and uncontrollable consequences for Niger.
On the evening of the 26th, Niger's coup soldiers issued a statement on Niger's national television, stating that the reason for the coup was "the continuous deterioration of the security situation in Niger and the government's inadequate economic and social governance.". In response, Wang Hongyi, Deputy Researcher at the West Asia and Africa Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stated in an interview with the General Radio Global Information that the development of terrorism poses a huge threat to the stability of Niger and deepens the current difficulties it faces.
Since 2013, Al Qaeda and ISIS have successively invaded Mali, then Burkina Faso, and then Niger. Almost at the same time, Nigeria's "Boko Haram" also rose and naturally entered Niger, bringing unprecedented pressure to the country. Especially since 2022, the security situation in Niger has been exceptionally severe. Niger borders seven neighboring countries and almost all of its long borders have been lost, leading to an increasing number of terrorist attacks. Various terrorist forces are recruiting troops and horses in the border areas. Therefore, the country faces enormous difficulties in military operations and defense.
For the citizens of Niger, the entire country's residents do indeed live in dire straits. A large influx of refugees into the country has led to severe resource shortages in the country's cities, making it difficult for public services to keep up with demand. Meanwhile, the elected government lacks energy and is unable to fully allocate resources to defense, military, and public security.
Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa. Since gaining independence from colonial rule in 1960, Niger has experienced multiple coups and attempted coups. Wang Hongyi believes that the political turmoil in Niger has entered a cyclical cycle, which will have a negative demonstration effect on other countries in the region. Meanwhile, given that Niger is at the forefront of combating extremist and terrorist forces in the Sahel region of Africa, political turmoil will be detrimental to counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
When the country's order, especially political, military, and economic order, is in chaos and cannot be resolved, military personnel often come to power in Niger. After taking office, they will maintain order for a period of time, but under pressure from the West, they are forced to hold democratic elections, and this cycle will repeatedly repeat.
For the region, the impact of Niger is first reflected in the regional counter-terrorism situation. Because approximately 7 to 8 countries in the region are facing difficulties, for example, two-thirds of Burkina Faso's territory has already been occupied by terrorists. Therefore, changes in the political situation in Niger may have negative demonstration effects on other countries in the region, including launching military coups.
