After the United States, the European Union announced this Saturday morning that it “will not recognize the authorities resulting from the putsch” in Niger, and that it will immediately suspend “all its cooperation actions in the security field” with the countries of the Sahel, indicated the head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell.
As for French reactions, Emmanuel Macron condemned the coup “with the greatest firmness”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating that France “does not recognize the authorities” resulting from the putsch. The French president will open a National Defense and Security Council on Saturday at 3 p.m. on this country where 1,500 French soldiers are currently deployed and have worked so far with the Nigerien army.
Brussels calls for the release of the ousted president
President Mohamed Bazoum, overthrown by a military coup, “was democratically elected, he is and therefore remains the only legitimate President of Niger. His release must be unconditional and without delay,” Josep Borrell pleaded in a statement. In addition to the suspension of all budgetary aid, “all cooperation actions in the security field are suspended sine die with immediate effect”, he added.
The African Union, for its part, demanded the “immediate return” of the Nigerien soldiers to their barracks and the “restoration of constitutional authority” within 15 days, in a press release published after a meeting of this body on Friday.