Coup in Niger confirms decline of French influence, new alignment in Sahel region

The coup leaders in Niger announced the reopening of the air and land borders with Algeria, Libya, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso on August 2, a week after their coup and arrest of President Mohamed Bazoum.

The situation in the West African country caused regional and international tensions after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened to take military action against the military junta in Niger.

National television in the capital, Niamey, broadcast a statement by the coup leaders accusing France of wanting to “intervene militarily” to restore President Bazoum to his duties. The French Foreign Ministry said that its embassy in Niamey was subjected to a deliberate attack and that the security forces in Niger failed to control the situation.

Thousands of demonstrators supporting the coup gathered last Sunday in front of the French embassy in Niamey, while some grabbed a plaque reading “The French Embassy in Niger” before trampling it and replacing it with Russian and Nigerien flags, Al Jazeera reported.

Anti-French sentiment

AFP reported that Paris - the former colonial power in the Sahel region – “is the main target of the military in power in Niger.” 

Commenting to Jusoor Post on the current developments, Ali Al-Sheikh, an expert in West Africa and the Sahel region, said that the region is witnessing anti-French sentiment, especially after a series of military coups in the Sahel region in the past two years.

“Mali announced the cancellation of eight out of 11 agreements with France dating back to the 1950s. These agreements include military, economic and cultural aspects,” Al-Sheikh said.

He added that “Burkina Faso took a similar action after giving the French forces a month to leave their lands and their recent announcement that French is no longer the country's official language.”

Al-Sheikh pointed out that the decline in France’s influence coincides with the rise of Russian and Chinese influence in Africa. “It is interesting that the ousted president of Niger is one of the few African leaders who did not attend the Russia-Africa summit last week.”

Regarding reactions to the crisis, the transitional military authorities in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea Conakry warned against any military intervention against Niger.

A joint statement by Burkina Faso and Mali said that any such step would amount to a declaration of war against them as well. The statement also condemned the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on Niger, considering them illegitimate, illegal and directed against the people of Niger.

The ruling military junta in Guinea Conakry said it would not abide by the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, describing them as illegitimate. It added that the peoples of Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger aspire to have their sovereignty respected.

For its part, a joint US-South African statement announced its rejection of the coup against the elected government, stressing its support for the government and people of Niger and for democracy, calling for the immediate release of the detained president.

The coup in Niger comes within a series of similar events in which the armies of the countries of Mali and Burkina Faso sought to seize power, claiming that the governments failed to combat extremist Islamist groups or solve the hardships of life.