"Niger coup soldiers are given an ultimatum" Economy | Community | Soldiers
According to Agence France Presse on July 29th, the pressure on Niger's coup victims is increasing day by day. After the EU, France also decided to suspend its aid to Niger on the 29th. The African Union has issued an ultimatum to the councilors, demanding the restoration of constitutional order within 15 days.
The West African Economic Community will hold a special summit in Abuja on the 30th to assess the situation in the country and may introduce sanctions. Niger is a member of the community.
According to reports, France is demanding the restoration of Niger's constitutional order without delay around the President Bazum elected by the Niger people, and has announced the suspension of all its development aid and budget support actions.
After the meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on the 28th, it was announced that the African Union has issued a 15 day ultimatum to the coup soldiers, calling for the restoration of "constitutional authority".
The EU has previously announced that it will not recognize the government established by the coup, and has suspended all cooperative actions in the field of security.
On July 28th, the military leader of the Niger coup, Abdulrahman Chiani, met with other military commanders in Niamey.
According to Reuters on July 29th, after Niger's military leaders announced this week that they would overthrow democratically elected President Mohammad Bazam, the European Union and France cut off their financial support for Niger, and the United States also threatened to do so.
!["Niger coup soldiers are given an ultimatum" Economy | Community | Soldiers](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/15deffd5cbdc4d8445dc266e07242c59.jpg)
According to the World Bank, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, receiving nearly $2 billion in official development assistance annually. It is also a security partner of former colonial powers France and the United States, both of which use it as a base to combat Islamic insurgency in the wider Sahel region of the West and Central Africa.
Niger's foreign allies have so far refused to recognize the new military government led by former Presidential Guard captain General Abdulrahman Chiani.
According to reports, the EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borelli, said in a statement, "Except for an immediate cessation of budget support, all cooperative actions in the security sector will be indefinitely suspended and take effect immediately."
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that France has immediately suspended all development aid and budget support, and demanded that Bazum regain power and immediately restore constitutional order. France's development aid to Niger in 2022 is approximately 120 million euros, and it was originally expected to increase slightly this year.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said: "The very important assistance we have provided to the people of Niger is clearly in jeopardy."