Brussels, 01/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is concerned about the political situation in Niger, where President Tandja gave himself special powers and suspended the country's constitutional court. The EU is calling for a constitutional solution to the crisis and is threatening to suspend the EU's cooperation with the country.
In a press release published on Wednesday 1 July, EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel said he was very worried about political developments in Niger, whose political stability (that it has enjoyed over the past ten years) was now at risk. Michel said that any changes to fundamental aspects of the constitution could not be introduced in a non-inclusive and non-consensual manner. In order to ensure the state operated democratically, it was also vital that public institutions like the constitutional court were able to carry out their role of ensuring the letter of the law was respected by everyone, he added.
Louis Michel told President Tandja that his recent decisions seriously jeopardised fundamental aspects of the Cotonou Agreement which Niger has signed up to, and that this could have a direct impact on EU cooperation with the country. In the event of violation of one or more important aspect of the Cotonou Agreement between the 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states and the EU, the EU and the ACP states can enter political consultations to seek to remedy the situation and, in the event of a breakdown in such consultations, cooperation with the country in question can be partially or fully suspended.
On 30 June, EU High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana said it was essential that President Tandja and the opposition found a way of working together to find a constitutional settlement to the current crisis. (A.N./transl.fl)