“Faced with the threat of intervention which is becoming clearer from neighboring countries, Niger’s airspace is closed (…) until further notice”, announced on the evening of Sunday August 6, the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP), which took power. This declaration came shortly before the expiration, Monday at midnight, Niamey time (1 hour in Paris), of the ultimatum sent on July 30 by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to the military to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to his duties, on pain of armed intervention. Follow our live.
Paris believes that the threat of intervention must be taken “very seriously”. The Nigerian putschists “would do well to take the threat of military intervention by a regional force very seriously”warned, Saturday, on franceinfo, Catherine Colonna, French Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Nearly 30,000 coup supporters gathered in Niamey on Sunday. A delegation of CNSP members arrived at a 30,000-seat venue to the cheers of their supporters. Several displayed Russian flags and portraits of CNSP leaders.
Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum relies on diplomacy. “We always hope that the negotiation will prevail and that there will not necessarily be a military intervention”, said the president-elect. The latter kidnapped since the putsch of July 26. He also specified that he was “very good health”.