France concerned about coup in Niger

Last week, according to French media reports, the military members of the coup d’état in the Niger met with a good offices mission of Nigerian religious leaders. The delegation issued a communiqué stating that the military regime in Niger had expressed its willingness to resolve the crisis through diplomatic channels, and on the evening of 13 August, the military members of the coup d’état issued a statement indicating that they would prosecute President Bazoum, who was in custody, for treason.

On 10 August, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced that it would deploy a “standby force” to respond to changes in the situation in the country, and on 11 August anti-French demonstrations erupted outside a French military base on the outskirts of the capital, Niamey. The meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) scheduled for 12 December was postponed for “technical reasons”. On the same day, the Economic Community of West African States held a meeting and decided to form a new committee to mediate in the country.

On 11 August, United States Secretary of State Lincoln said in a statement that he had spoken to Bazoum on several occasions and expressed disappointment at the refusal of the coup soldiers to release Bazoum’s family.