The junta in Niger, which seized power in a military coup on July 26, has formed a military alliance with the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Mali, whose rulers also seized power in coups.
The three countries’ foreign ministers made a joint announcement in Niamey, Niger’s capital on Thursday.
The development comes as Niger has ordered the French Ambassador to leave its soil within 48 hours, saying the decision relates to actions taken by France that run counter to Niger’s interests.
Oumarou Ibrahim Sidi, the deputy minister at Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced that the Burkinabe and Malian ministers reiterated their countries’ solidarity in the face of “the illegal, illegitimate and inhumane sanctions” imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
The deputy minister also mentioned that the trio of nations reached a consensus to establish and enhance collaborative support regarding defense and security affairs.
“The three countries agreed to facilitate mutual assistance in defense and security matters in the event of aggression or terrorist attack and decided to set up a consultation framework to enable them to coordinate their actions in order to deal with the multiple situations and challenges to which we are exposed.”
Expanding on security issues, he said they expressed satisfaction with the endorsement on August 24 by the President of the CNSP (The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland) in Niger, General Abdourahamane Tiani, of two orders.
The directives grant authorization for Burkina Faso and Mali’s defense forces to intervene within Niger’s borders if any form of aggression occurs.
“They welcomed the signing by the President of the CNSP, General Abdourahamane Tiani, of two orders on 24 August 2023 authorizing the defense forces of Burkina Faso and Mali to intervene on Niger territory in the event of aggression,” Sidi noted.
He added, “The Burkinabe and Malian ministers reiterated their countries’ solidarity in the face of the illegal, illegitimate and inhumane sanctions imposed by ECOWAS and UMOEA in violation of the texts of these institutions. They also reiterated their rejection of armed intervention against the people of Niger, which would be considered as a declaration of war.”
The heads of ECOWAS, a regional group of 15 members, along with the leadership of UEMOA chose to enforce economic and financial penalties on Niger following the military coup.
The sanctions have resulted in Niger, a landlocked nation, experiencing a severe reduction in its power provision. Nigeria, responsible for 70 percent of Niger’s electricity supply, has disconnected its power transmission to Niger under the directives of the ECOWAS sanctions.
Like recent coups in neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, the military takeover in Niger came amid a growing wave of anti-French sentiment, with the new military leadership accusing the former colonial power of interfering in Niger’s internal affairs.
