After the coup in Niger, the military governments of the two neighboring countries, Burkina Faso and Mali, warned the West African community of states, Ecowas, against intervening.
Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali, according to a joint statement by the two transitional governments. Military intervention could have catastrophic consequences that could destabilize the entire region. Burkina Faso and Mali are themselves Ecowas members.
Putschists under pressure
Ecowas gave the putschists in Niger an ultimatum on Sunday. If the detained President Mohamed Bazoum is not released and reinstated within a week, Ecowas will take action that could include the use of force, it said. Ecowas thus sided with the West and put the putschists under increasing pressure. On Wednesday, officers from General Omar Tchiani’s elite unit declared the democratically elected Bazoum to be out of power. Tchiani proclaimed himself the new ruler on Friday.
The military had also seized power in Mali and Burkina Faso. Niger was the last of the three neighboring countries in the Sahel to be led by a democratically elected government. It was not until the end of 2022 that the EU decided on a military mission in Niger to combat terrorism in the region. So far, the Bundeswehr has only provided a few soldiers who are in Niamey for this EU mission.
Conflict region Sahel
The statement by the transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali also stated that military intervention by Ecowas would result in the two states leaving the community. In addition, “self-defense measures” would be initiated in support of the Nigerien armed forces and people.
The Sahel zone stretches from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east. It has been suffering from a steadily deteriorating security situation for years. Many militias, some of whom have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) or the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, regularly carry out attacks.
