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The junta severed ties with key international partners, who imposed sanctions and suspended support affecting close to half of Niger’s budget. Niger was the latest nation in West Africa to be ruled by a military junta, joining Mali and Burkina Faso
One year has passed since mutinous soldiers overthrew Niger’s president, Mohamed Bazoum for two key reasons: its security and economic crises. But reports emanating from there indicate that those challenges not only persisted but worsened. Niger, the impoverished country has 26 million people and is ranked as one of the poorest countries. It ranks at 189 out of 193 on the United Nation’s 2022 Human Development Index. Thousands of people, who a year ago cheered the junta, are seemingly distancing themselves from it.
The junta severed ties with key international partners, who imposed sanctions and suspended support affecting close to half of Niger’s budget. Niger was the latest nation in West Africa to be ruled by a military junta, joining Mali and Burkina Faso.
The three countries went on to form what they called the Alliance of Sahel States, shortened to its French acronym AES. They also announced their departure from the regional bloc known as ECOWAS, short for the Economic Community of West African States.
ECOWAS acknowledged their announcement but has not yet declared that the countries are no longer part of the bloc. Following the coup, Benin closed its border with Niger, cutting off the country’s access to the port of Benin – the main route for imports.
ECOWAS also imposed sanctions, but they were lifted earlier this year. With the border with Benin still closed and foreign aid petering out, residents in the capital, Niamey, are feeling the economic pinch.
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Like Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger has pursued military relations with Russia and expelled French forces from the country. U.S. forces have also agreed to leave the country by September 15 as Niger’s military leaders consolidated their grip on power, they promised a three-year transition period to civilian rule. Analysts now say that is unlikely to happen on time.
