Niger

Niger's coup leaders accused the head of the United Nations on Friday of obstructing their participation in the body's General Assembly, saying it was "likely to undermine any effort to end the crisis in our country".

The coup-toppled president of Niger has appealed to the West African bloc's court to free him, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

The U.S. military has resumed counterterrorism missions in Niger, flying drones and other aircraft out of air bases in the country more than a month after a coup halted those activities, the head of U.S. Air Forces for Europe and Africa said Wednesday.

France’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, September 12, that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and called for the junta to immediately release him.

A series of coups in Western Africa is putting the unity and capability of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to the test as it seeks to restore civilian rule in countries such as Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger. These four nations have joined forces to resist economic sanctions and potential military action by the other 11 countries within the bloc.

Coup leaders say France has dispatched troops and equipment to Senegal, Ivory Coast and Benin as ‘part of preparations for an aggression against Niger’.

Amid continuing talks on the future role of French troops in Niger, a source told FRANCE 24 on Wednesday that France plans to reduce its military presence in the West African nation. The negotiations come after Niger’s military junta, which seized power in a July 26 coup, called for the “swift” departure of French forces. 

“Niger’s airspace is open to all international and domestic commercial flights as well as unlimited ground services,” the official Niger News Agency reported, citing the Transport Ministry spokesperson. The decision, however, “does not apply to military flights and other special flights, which are subject to authorization by the competent authorities.”

EU ministers are also expected to reflect on how to “best safeguard our interests and objectives in the sub-region, particularly in the field of security (combating terrorism, countering the influence of the Wagner group) and controlling irregular migration when the three central Sahel states are ruled by military juntas and radical armed groups are pursuing a strategy of territorial expansion”.

UNHCR’s representative in Niger, Emmanuel Gignac, said that sanctions imposed on the country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following last month’s military takeover do not include any exemptions for humanitarian aid.