Niger became the latest West African nation to witness a coup as the country’s military forces deposed incumbent President Mohamed Bazoum and installed a new leader in his place. Western countries have condemned the incident unanimously. They have imposed sanctions and called for the restoration of democratic rule as the country continues to reel under violent political instability.
Let’s look at what transpired in the tiny West African nation ridden by poverty and frequent droughts and the factors that made Niger a fertile ground for the upheaval.
What Happened in Niger?
On 26 July, the Western African state of Niger witnessed a coup d’etat when the Presidential Guard Commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani, detained Bazoum inside his palace in Niamey and later declared himself the leader.
Appearing on state Television, the National Council for Safeguarding of the Country (CNSP) announced the military putsch. “We have decided to put an end to the regime you know. This follows the continuing deterioration of security and poor economic and social governance,” it said.
On Wednesday, the chief of Niger’s Special Operations Forces, who trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the National Defense University in Washington, joined a junta that ousted Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s democratically elected president. https://t.co/kJS2FZOnCq
— The Intercept (@theintercept) July 28, 2023
Military vehicles blocked off entry to the palace and ministries next to it. The military leader also announced the closure of land and sea borders until the situation stabilised and the constitution was suspended.
“All external partners are asked not to interfere,” Tchiani further warned. He requested the country’s technical and financial partners to understand the situation and provide the necessary support to help it overcome its challenges.
Following the coup, protests began in the country, with several demonstrations against the country’s former colonial power France. An attack took place on the French embassy during pro-coup protests on Sunday in which protestors set fire and burnt flags at the embassy. In some of these marches, protestors were seen carrying Russian flags.
What Made Niger a Fertile Ground for the Coup?
Several reasons, local, regional and international, came together to make the country a fertile ground for the coup that took place.
A Turbulent Neighbourhood
Niger is located in the Sahel region of Africa, a semi-arid transitional zone between the Sahara Desert in the north and tropical Savannas in the south. The area has had seven coup attempts in the last four years. Military regimes have taken over countries from Mali in the West of the continent to Sudan in the east.
The countries have seen a rapid rise in insurgency with rampant jihadist violence from groups like Al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and Boko Haram operating in the region.
The Global Terrorism Index notes that the Sahel region recorded 2,880 deaths out of a total of 6,701 global deaths from terrorism in 2022.
Niger faces a security crisis in the areas bordering Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Mali, where armed groups carry out repeated attacks against the security forces and civilians. As a result, a state of emergency was declared in the Diffa, Tahoua, and Tillaberi regions.
Constant trouble in the neighbourhood had spillover effects in the country, making Niger vulnerable to a coup attempt.
Foreign Involvement, Anti-Western Sentiment
Amid regional instability, Niger has shown relative firmness. According to the US State Department, the country’s comparative democratic stability made it “important as a linchpin for stability in the Sahel” and “a reliable counter-terrorism partner” in the region.
The US established the largest base for unmanned aerial vehicles, the Niger Air Base 201, in Niger’s Agadez region in 2019.
France continues to use Niamey Air Base 101 as a site for its operations in the Sahel region. With 800 US and 1,500 French troops, the base is a joint mission site for the US and French forces. Operating a wide range of aircraft, the base hosts personnel from several EU countries for military and civilian training missions.
The EU has launched military training missions in Niger, and Germany, Estonia, and Italy contribute to them.
The country saw increased French and European forces in 2022 as Bazoum invited them to the country following their expulsion from Mali.
Niger is the world’s seventh-biggest producer of uranium and fulfils the uranium needs of several European countries, especially France.
French control of the nuclear power plants in Niger through its nuclear fuel cycle group Orano has been a bone of contention. As Niger fulfils 20 per cent of the country’s uranium needs, France has been accused of exploiting its resources while the country lacks basic access to electricity.
People feel that the tilt towards the Western world has not yielded any benefits. This feeling has further heightened because of the persistent anti-French sentiment in the country, owing to its colonial past and present interference in internal affairs.
A section of coup supporters, it is believed, feel it would be better for Niger to expel the West, side with Russia, allow Wagner into the region and then fight the Islamist insurgency. Bazoum’s pro-Western inclination made his regime susceptible to the attempted takeover.
Niger's military leaders closed the country's airspace, citing the potential threat of outside intervention following last month's coup. Here's what to know about the takeover. https://t.co/8MMnPV4tz4
— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) August 7, 2023
Socio-Economic And Political Reasons
Niger has an extremely underwhelming socio-economic status despite its resource richness in Uranium and Gold Reserves.
The country ranks 189th out of 191 countries on the Human Development Index. It has a literacy rate of less than 35% among adults, with over 41.8% of the population living in extreme poverty in 2021.
With a gender inequality index of 71.3, the country has the highest level of gender inequality in Africa.
Despite providing fuel to electric power plants abroad, a meagre 21.58% of Niger’s population has access to electricity in 2023.
The country’s situation has hardly improved despite efforts by successive governments.
Additionally, Niger faces a climate emergency as its non-desert portions are threatened by periodic drought and extreme desertification. Coupled with an increasing population and rampant droughts, it makes day-to-day life difficult.
The coup organisers blamed the country’s security and socio-economic status. They said Bazoum’s incapability to improve the situation resulted in the insurrection.
Additionally, Niger’s turbulent political history since gaining independence suggests that the country does not have a strong political system.
With five successful coups in the past five decades and two attempts against Bazoum, the country has seen extreme callousness on the part of the country’s politicians.
The nation has also seen allegations of massive corruption, with NGOs complaining there were discrepancies of up to $99 million in state funds.
While several military uprisings have taken place, they have failed to hold their ground for long. The present coup is another reflection of the dissatisfaction with the country’s grim situation.
Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum said Thursday he is being held hostage by the country’s military as he warned in a Washington Post op-ed that the junta’s power grab could have “devastating consequences” for the region https://t.co/DWMG3QjnYZ
— CNN (@CNN) August 4, 2023
Conclusion
The coup in Niger shows how the present in Africa is still largely shaped by the colonial and neo-colonial doings in the continent.
Despite possessing resources in plenty, Niger struggles to feed its people and give them a life of fulfilment and quality. Repeated political upheavals and unwelcome foreign control make matters worse in the country.
While a democratic regime is preferable for the country, a change of hands would make no difference till the welfare of the people becomes central to the ruling dispensations.