The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mme Catherine Colonna, hosted a meeting at the Quai d’Orsay with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Niger, Mr Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, on 5 August 2023. He was accompanied by Niger’s Ambassador to France, Ms Aichatou Boulama Kane.
The Minister reaffirmed France’s wholehearted support for President Bazoum – elected by the Nigerien people – and his government, which are the sole legitimate authorities of Niger.
France strongly and resolutely supports ECOWAS’s efforts to thwart this attempted coup. Niger’s future and the stability of the whole region are at stake.
ECOWAS set a seven-day deadline for the coup leaders to end their power grab.
It expires tomorrow, Sunday 6 August. France solemnly appeals to those responsible for the attempted coup d’état to release President Bazoum and all the members of his government and enable an immediate return to constitutional and democratic order.
Source – French Government
UN: Guterres concerned over continued detention of Niger’s President
New York, 7 August 2023
President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-seventh session in September 2022.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has underlined his support for ongoing mediation efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the wake of the 26 July attempted coup in Niger, his Office said on Monday.
ECOWAS is scheduled to hold another meeting on the crisis on Thursday in Abuja, Nigeria, according to media reports.
This follows an extraordinary summit last week where the 15-member bloc issued a communiqué calling for the reinstatement of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum.
Failing this, ECOWAS had threatened to “take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order”, including use of force. The ultimatum expired on Sunday.
Military leaders in Niger have closed the country’s airspace in response.
UN “good offices” role
“The Secretary-General is concerned over the continued detention of President Bazoum and the failure so far to restore constitutional order in Niger,” his Office said in a note to journalists.
Meanwhile, UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, continues to provide good offices support to regional stakeholders, and is currently in Abuja.
Humanitarian support must continue
“The Secretary-General emphasizes the urgent need to ensure that life-saving humanitarian work continues unhindered, and that the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service that provides a vital link to remote communities in Niger is allowed to operate to and continue to serve those communities,” the note said.
During a briefing to journalists last week, Mr. Simão reported that 4.3 million people in Niger require humanitarian assistance.
He also warned that the unfolding crisis could worsen insecurity in the wider West African region.
UN humanitarian agencies have pledged to stay and deliver in Niger.
Source – UN