Niger’s coup junta breaks military agreements with France and approaches Russia

The military junta that governs Niger after last week’s coup has decided to break the military agreements that the country maintains with France, a decision that compromises the presence of some 1,500 French soldiers on Nigerian soil. This was announced this Thursday by Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the junta, in a statement read on public television after the failure of the mediation mission of the Economic Community of West African States (Cedeao) that traveled to Niamey. Up to four countries, Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Benin have announced their willingness to participate in a military intervention if power is not returned to civilians before Sunday. For its part, the military junta has the support of the military regimes of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

“Given France’s impertinent attitude and reaction to the situation, the National Council for the Protection of the Homeland (CNSP) has decided to denounce the security and defense cooperation agreements with said State,” said Abdramane, referring to the stationing of French soldiers in Niger and their status in the fight against jihadism. After the expulsion of the French military from Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger had become the epicenter of French action in the Sahel, with the presence of some 1,500 soldiers, mostly from Operation Barkhane. In addition, the military junta has cut the broadcast of the French public media Radio France International and France24.

The CNSP had already accused the French government on Monday of wanting to “intervene militarily” in Niger to restore constitutional order. Last Sunday, pro-coup protesters attempted to force their way into the French Embassy in Niamey, but were dispersed with tear gas. Subsequently, President Emmanuel Macron warned of an “immediate and non-negotiable response” to any attack on French citizens or interests in the country. Given the deterioration of the situation, the Elysee evacuated a thousand of its citizens this week, as other European countries have done, including Spain and the United States.

While the military junta’s hostility towards the West grows, signs of sympathy for Russia are multiplying. The M62 movement, which has always been critical of the French presence in Niger, has gained notable prominence in recent days and was the organizer of the rally for the independence of Niger held this Thursday that, de facto, became a great act of support for the coup. During the rally, dozens of Russian flags were waved and slogans favorable to the expulsion of the French military and greater cooperation with Moscow were chanted.

The new rulers have already announced their full collaboration with the military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso, which enjoy notable Russian support. Just a few hours after the coup, the Russian organization Community of Officials for International Security (COSI), considered part of the propaganda constellation of the Wagner paramilitary group, spread a supposed message from its boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in which he assured that the The military coup was part of the “fight against the colonizers” and highlighted the role played by its mercenaries in the Sahel in the fight against jihadism in countries like Mali.

For his part, deposed President Mohamed Bazoum denounced this Friday in a forum published in The Washington Post that he continued to be “kidnapped by the military junta” and denied the arguments put forward to justify the coup, bad government and insecurity. Likewise, he warned that “after the invitation made by the coup leaders and their regional allies, the entire central Sahel could fall under Russian influence through the Wagner group (…)”. “Niger is the last bastion of respect for human rights in the face of authoritarian movements that have taken over some of our neighbors. While this attempted coup is a tragedy for Nigeriens, its success would have devastating consequences far beyond our borders,” he warned.

In parallel, an ECOWAS mission landed in Niamey on Thursday to meet with both the military members of the coup and Bazoum, who is still being held by the junta. However, this mission did not achieve its objectives and he returned to Nigeria without even leaving the airport. ECOWAS last week imposed harsh economic sanctions on Niger and threatened military intervention, as a last resort, if the military did not return power to civilians by Sunday 6 August. The first consequences of the sanctions have already translated these days in Niger into problems for the energy supply and rising prices.

At least four countries have already announced their willingness to participate in a possible military intervention. These are the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Benin and Senegal. This Friday, the heads of the ECOWAS Armed Forces meet in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to continue advancing on the military option, decisively promoted by the president of this regional body, the Nigerian Bola Tinubu.

Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the Nigerien military junta, also referred in his statement on Thursday to the ECOWAS ultimatum: “Any aggression or attempted aggression against the State of Niger will have an immediate response and without notice from the Defense Forces and Security of Niger over one of its members, with the exception of friendly countries suspended”. Those suspended are Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso, where military juntas also govern, which have already announced that they would react in defense of Niger in the event of a military intervention.

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