Niger Faces Threat Of Military Intervention

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Just a week after Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum was removed by the military, the threat of a Western-backed intervention in the country began to rise.

The military takeover on July 27 was supported by many in Niger, who staged anti-French protests in the Nigerian capital, Niamey, and other parts of the country. However, it was not welcomed by the West’s remaining ally in West Africa.

On July 30, The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on Niger and threatened force if Niger’s military leaders fail to reinstate ousted President Bazoum within a week.

ECOWAS and the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union said that with immediate effect borders with Niger would be closed, commercial flights banned, financial transactions halted, national assets frozen and aid ended. Military officials involved in the so-called coup would be banned from traveling and have their assets frozen, it added.

The sanctions were welcomed by the United States as well as France and by the rest of the European Union, who felt threatened by the military takeover and its anti-imperialist sentiment.

The United States, France, Italy and Germany have troops in Niger on military training and missions to fight Islamist insurgents. Niger is also the world’s seventh-largest producer of uranium. The country’s radioactive metal is mainly exported to the West.

On August 3, West Africa’s defense chiefs met in Nigeria’s capital Abuja and discussed the possibility of a military intervention in Niger if efforts fail to reinstate ousted president, Bazoum.

An intervention in Niger would rely heavily on Nigeria, which has 223,000 personnel as well as modern fighter jets and armed helicopters. Senegal’s foreign minister also said that her country would participate in a military intervention if ECOWAS decides to act.

However, several other ECOWAS member states have already stated that they would not support the use of force in Niger, including Mauritania, Algeria, Mali and Burkina Faso.

It’s worth noting that both Mali and Burkina Faso announced in a joint statement on August 1 that any military intervention against Niger’s military leaders would be considered a “declaration of war” against their nations.

A military intervention in Niger will most likely be backed by the West, who fears that the military takeover could facilitate the expansion of Russian influence in West Africa. Pro-military protesters have already called for boosting relations with Moscow and cooperation with the Russian military.

Any intervention in the country would escalate into a Western African conflict considering the split within the ECOWAS block. The West, namely the U.S. and France, is apparently planning to start a war in the region, using its allies there as proxies.

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