Niger enchants the new government! 

Niger’s new leaders announced the formation of the new government and it struck with a force to the opposing members. On Thursday West African leaders comprising ECOWAS met to discuss Niger as their new problem and the points to tackle. Niger is continuously ignoring the deadline set by ECOWAS.

The previous government was encircled with 43 ministers and none of them had relations with the Military. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, showed his concern for Mohammad Bazoum and his kin as they were detained at the presidential residence without means of daily requirements and essentials.

The self-declared leader said the military junta will be strong enough and will not bow against any outsiders and Western influence. Niger is very critical of France, the effects can be seen in their decision. It is the seventh country to fall into military hands.

ECOWAS sent a delegation to the counterpart on 8 August in order to negotiate with the officers who have the powers but all the efforts were in vain. ECOWAS has failed miserably in order to reduce the coups in Western Africa. Mali, Burkina Faso and other Sahels’ have fallen in this coup.

What Happened in Niger?

According to western Media and Cheers, the Wagner group is playing an important role in the situation. The Uranium-enriched countries of Western Africa became the area of Military coups. It is better to remember that the situation in Northern Africa is not good starting from the Cape of Horn to Western Sahara’s border.

On July 26, the Presidential Guard led a military junta and overthrew the then-President Bazoum, although the concerned authorities warned of this action it is showing no effect.

Abdourahmane Tchiani declared himself the head of the Transition Government and declared Niger’s constitution worthless and suspended. Economic giants put sanctions against the government and the United States of America has paused funding to the institutions and asked thousands of its soldiers to pause security operations,

Interestingly Bazoum was the first democratic leader to be appointed and that was also in 2021 only, although the country gained independence in 1960 only. Most of the recent coup countries have started to side with Russia. The region has struggled a lot to control the militancy and the Islamic insurgency.

Niger is continuously being slashed with sanctions, recently the Nigerian president ordered new sanctions against the country through the Nigeria Central Bank. Airspace is being cut off from the rest of the world leading to hinder the UN humanitarian supplies of grain and medicine.

The Response

Around 30,000 people were seated, and the stadium was packed with the crowd on Sunday when the new delegation came to their show. Interestingly the stadium is named after Seyni Kountche, the one who led the country’s first coup d’etat which was 49 years back.

Algeria and Chad who are strong in terms of military and fire power abstained to support military action in Niger with other authorities and rather decided to not intervene in the conflict.

It was seen that the supporters of the National Council for the Safeguard were happy and were waving the country’s flag as well as the Russian flag as well.

France and Italy already started to evacuate its citizens and the military planes landed in Paris and Rome. Nigeria has started to cut the power to Niger in order and a long queue of stranded trucks was seen in Niamey.

United Nations World Food Program said it was short of funding to help people in West and Central Africa.