My Blog

Tag: political stability

  • Niger Coup: No harm will come to ousted Bazoum, PM Zein assures

    *Says Niger will not collaborate with Russia or the Kremlin-backed Wagner group

    Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Niger, has conveyed that the generals responsible for the recent coup, which led to the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, are committed to ensuring his safety.

    In an interview with The New York Times, Zeine, the most prominent civilian figure appointed by the military, emphasized that Niger does not have a history of resorting to violence.

    “Nothing will happen to him, because we don’t have a tradition of violence in Niger,” Zeine, the most senior civilian appointed by the military leaders, told the newspaper in an interview from Dakar on the fate of overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum.

    Speaking from Dakar, Zeine assured that there are no plans for harm to befall President Bazoum, who has been confined to his residence since the coup.

    Zeine also explicitly stated that there is no intention to collaborate with Russia or the Kremlin-backed Wagner group, addressing concerns about external partnerships.

    Reports from The New York Times indicate that the ousted President’s house had its water and electricity supply disrupted by the coup leaders, who also issued threats regarding his safety if other African countries proceed with a military intervention to restore him to power.

    In response to the situation, President Bola Tinubu warned of “grave consequences” should Bazoum’s health deteriorate while under house arrest, as conveyed by a European Union official. Meanwhile, questions about Bazoum’s well-being and his status were raised by reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

    A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed that they have received information from a reliable source indicating that Bazoum is alive. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, stated, “As far as we know, he’s alive.”

    Prime Minister Zeine, a trained economist who had previously served as the finance minister, addressed the presence of foreign military forces in Niger. He commented on the presence of 1,100 American soldiers and 1,500 French soldiers involved in anti-terrorist operations alongside the local army. Zeine suggested that a review of such military partnerships might be necessary and acknowledged the diplomatic approach of the White House in resolving the crisis.

    As Niger navigates this complex situation, the commitment to peaceful resolution and the assurance of the safety of ousted leaders remain crucial aspects of the ongoing discourse.

  • Niger Military Junta vows to prosecute ousted Bazoum for ‘high treason’

    *Says it’s open to diplomatic resolution; decries ECOWAS sanctions

    Niger’s military junta announced late on Sunday its intention to press charges of “high treason” against former President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted from power, even as the regime also criticized the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for imposing sanctions on the nation.

    ECOWAS had placed sanctions on Niger as a response to the coup and had not ruled out the possibility of using force against the military officers responsible for toppling the democratically elected Bazoum on July 26.

    While ECOWAS had approved the potential deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger, it maintained its commitment to pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

    In a statement delivered on national television by Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane late Sunday night, Niger’s military leaders conveyed their intent to prosecute Bazoum for “high treason” and for undermining both the internal and external security of Niger.

    The former president, aged 63, along with his family, has been confined to the official Niamey residence since the coup, raising international concerns about their well-being during detention.

    According to sources close to Bazoum, he received a medical check-up on Saturday, and the military authorities stated that the doctor found no health issues concerning the deposed president and his family.

    The military also decried the sanctions imposed on Niger, asserting that they had led to difficulties in accessing essential supplies such as medicines, food, and electricity. They characterized these sanctions as “illegal, inhumane, and humiliating.”

    The remarks from the military came shortly after a meeting between religious mediators and coup leader General Abdourahamane Tiani. During the meeting, Tiani expressed his regime’s openness to diplomatic discussions and peaceful resolution of the crisis.

    Sheikh Bala Lau, part of a Nigerian Muslim delegation that engaged in talks in Niamey, reported that Tiani stated their willingness to explore diplomacy and peace in addressing the situation. Tiani also contended that the coup had been executed with good intentions, aimed at averting an imminent threat that could have impacted both Nigeria and Niger.

    Tiani lamented that ECOWAS had issued an ultimatum demanding Bazoum’s restoration without giving them an opportunity to present their perspective on the matter.

    Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who also serves as the head of ECOWAS, sanctioned the visit of the Muslim leaders to Niamey. Tinubu had adopted a resolute stance against the coup, marking the sixth instance of such an occurrence in an ECOWAS member state since 2020.

    ECOWAS had enacted stringent measures, including halting financial transactions and electricity supplies and sealing borders with Niger, causing significant disruptions to imports in one of the world’s most impoverished countries.

    The organization had set a seven-day ultimatum for the reinstatement of Bazoum, threatening a potential use of force, but the deadline passed without compliance from the new rulers. A crisis meeting scheduled for Accra, Ghana, was canceled for “technical reasons.”

    Support for the new military leadership has manifested in public demonstrations, with large crowds gathering in Niamey. Concerts at the Seyni Kountche Stadium saw thousands of individuals expressing backing for the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), the group of generals who have assumed control. The gathering, primarily composed of youth, waved flags of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Russia.

    The prospect of a military intervention to reinstate Bazoum has polarized ECOWAS members and evoked warnings from international powers, including Russia and Algeria.

    Neighboring countries Mali and Burkina Faso, both governed by military regimes resulting from coups, have cautioned that such an intervention could escalate into a declaration of war against them.

  • Address good governance, alliance tells ECOWAS leaders

    The Alliance for Deepening Democracy (A4DD) has called on leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take urgent measures to address challenges to democracy principles and good governance in the region in order to stem the scourge of unconstitutional takeover of governments now afflicting some of its member countries.

    In a statement issued Monday/ in Abuja, the alliance of organizations working to advance democracy in Nigeria, strongly condemned the July 28, 2023 coup in which President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic was removed from power in a military takeover but noted that the failure of leaders in many ECOWAS member states to adhere to the universally accepted norms of democratic practice and good governance principles had become a ready justification for insurgents and coup plotters undermining democratic governance, peace and stability of the region.

    The Alliance identified some of the challenges to good governance in West Africa as the failure of some leaders to respect constitutional term limits in their countries, the manipulation of electoral processes leading to the emergence of governments with dubious legitimacy from such flawed elections, widespread violation of human rights and constriction of civic space in many countries, the high level of corruption, lack of independence of the Judiciary, and the inability of governments to deliver basic public services to their citizens in countries across the region.

    Noting that the coup in Niger was the seventh coup attempt and fourth successful military takeover of power in West Africa since 2020, the Alliance said it was deeply concerned that a region that was once celebrated as demonstrating the strongest political will and leadership in advancing democratic governance, peace and stability is now referred to as “the coup belt of Africa”.

    It said although some of the coups are greeted with jubilations on the streets of the different countries, the reactions were not necessarily informed by the people’s love for military regimes but are frequently motivated by a growing frustration among the people about democratic governance, especially the failure of leaders to meet the collective and individual aspirations of their citizens.

    Insisting that ECOWAS leaders had a duty to ensure good governance and adherence to sound democratic principles and practices, the Alliance contended that since they have always cited the violation of the region’s Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance as the basis for their zero tolerance for military takeover of governments, it is imperative that they also abide by a key feature of the Protocol, which is the common and universal norms on democratic governance expected of member states through “constitutional convergence”.

    The Alliance argued that the failure of ECOWAS leaders to address other challenges to good governance and democracy while seeking to take decisive action against coups would only reinforce the impression that they are only interested in ensuring their continued stay in office and have no real desire to promote universally accepted democratic norms and good governance.

    The Deputy Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Alliance, Ms Faith Waziri, who is also the Communications Officer of the Women in Politics Forum, said: “Sadly, experience from the past in some of the West African countries under military leadership has demonstrated that the military is no different to the political class they often claim to liberate the people from. Thus, if this dangerous precedent is not curtailed immediately, we are concerned that it may become an uncontrolled trend in the region, putting the freedom of the people at risk.”

    She said that “While we commend the region’s zero tolerance for military takeover, the conspicuous silence of ECOWAS leaders in the face of violations of the constitutional convergence principles as outlined in the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Governance has raised legitimacy concerns and doubts over the sincerity of ECOWAS in championing democracy and good governance in the region.”