France suspends development, budget aid to Niger following military coup
France has suspended all development aid and budgetary support to Niger following a military coup against President Mohamed Bazoum, the French foreign ministry said Saturday.
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Paris "calls for an immediate return to constitutional order in Niger," along with the reinstatement of democratically-elected Bazoum, the ministry said in a statement.
Located in the heart of the Sahel, the country of some 26 million people is two-thirds desert and has one of the highest demographic growth rates in the world.
The French Development Agency in 2021 committed 97 million euros to the country, one of the poorest in the world, according to figures on agency website.
It receives close to $2 billion a year in official development assistance, according to the World Bank.
French President Emmanuel Macron, while visiting Papua New Guinea on Friday, strongly condemned the coup, calling it "dangerous" for the region and demanding the release of Bazoum, who has been confined to his official residence since Wednesday.
15-day AU ultimatum
France's move followed the African Union and the European Union which earlier on Saturday joined the chorus of international condemnation of the power grab.
The AU's Peace and Security Council demanded Niger's military "return to their barracks and restore constitutional authority, within a maximum period of fiften days," in a statement following a meeting Friday on the coup.
It "condemns in the strongest terms possible" the overthrow of the elected government and expressed deep concern over the "alarming resurgence" of military coups in Africa.
The EU intensified pressure on the coup leaders Saturday by suspending security cooperation with the jihadist-hit country.
The EU's diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said the bloc would not recognise the putschists and announced the suspension of security cooperation with Niger.
"The European Union does not recognise and will not recognise the authorities from the putsch in Niger," Borrell said in a statement.
"All cooperation in the security field is suspended indefinitely with immediate effect" in addition to the end to budgetary aid, he added.
One of the last western allies in Sahel
Niger is one of the last allies France has in the Sahel, a region plagued by instability, insecurity and jihadist attacks.
France ended its anti-jihadist operations and withdrew its forces from Mali earlier this year in response to demands from the Bamako junta leader.
The former colonial power has 1,500 troops in Niger who operate jointly with the Nigerien army.
The coup in Niamey is the third such event in the region since 2020, following power grabs by military rulers in Mali and Burkina Faso.
(with AFP)
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