Germany wants the European Union to sanction the soldiers who overthrew the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, at the end of July, who is still being held in his residence in Niamey (see EUROPE 13233/2).
“There can be no ‘business as usual’ when the military overthrows democratically elected governments. This is why we have suspended payments to the State of Niger, why we are working on sanctions and why we support the efforts of ECOWAS” to restore democracy in Niger, declared the German Minister for Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, on Monday 21 August, via her ministry’s account on the X network, formerly Twitter.
The EU has already suspended all development and security cooperation with the new government. It supports the diplomatic efforts of the West African countries, which do not rule out military intervention despite Algeria’s opposition.
The previous week, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, had reiterated, on behalf of the twenty-seven EU countries, “the firm condemnation of the coup in Niger, which can only have negative repercussions for the well-being and security of the people of Niger and for regional stability”. He welcomed ECOWAS’s willingness to seek “a diplomatic solution to the current crisis, while noting the mobilisation of the Standby Force”. In his view, the EU is ready to support the efforts being made by ECOWAS, “including through the introduction of a new individual sanctions regime”. And to call for the immediate and unconditional release of President Bazoum and his family.
At the same time, during a telephone conversation with the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, who was elected head of ECOWAS at the beginning of July, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, gave an assurance that the EU would not recognise the authorities resulting from the putsch.
The situation in Niger is due to be on the agenda of the informal meeting of European foreign ministers on 30 and 31 August in Toledo. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)