In 2019, the US opened a drone base in Niger despite protests. France’s huge investments in Niger’s mining sector are another reason for its interest in security. Niger is a key ally of western countries in the fight against insurgency in the region. Second, the large number of foreign military troops and bases in the country has not been well received by the military. Appointments in the military are made along ethnic lines. There is a lot of emphasis on ethnic military composition in the country understanding this helped Issoufou complete two terms as president. This did not sit well within the military circle, which is predominantly composed of the larger ethnic groups – even though Bazoum got about 56% of the vote and is from the same party as former president Mahamadou Issoufou. Bazoum is from Niger’s ethnic Arab minority and has always been labelled as having foreign origins. In addition to insecurity and economic stagnation, three other issues help explain the recent coup d’etat.įirst, the debate over the ethnicity and legitimacy of Bazoum was an issue during the last election campaign. This suggests that some people in Niger believe the military, supported by Russia and the private military contractor, Wagner group, would do a better job of fighting insurgents. Hundreds of youths in the capital, Niamey, gathered to celebrate the July coup, waving Russian flags and chanting “Wagner”. These attacks have resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements in the last decade. There are several insurgent groups, such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates, as well as Boko Haram operating in the country. There are no doubts that the rise in insecurity and declining economic prospects contributed to fragility in the country.ĭespite the increase in foreign forces, especially from the US and France, and military bases in Niger, the leadership has been unable to stop insurgent attacks. These are: ethnicity the presence of foreign forces and the weakness of regional bodies. I believe, however, there are other issues that precipitated the latest coup d’etat. They stated that the intervention was necessary to avoid “the gradual and inevitable demise” of the country. The current coup plotters have blamed rising insecurity and a lack of economic growth. It suggested that the military had not fully embraced democracy. It failed as presidential guards fought off the coup plotters.Īs a political scientist with expertise on international security, conflict analysis and governance in Africa, including knowledge on Niger, I explained then, the coup attempt pointed to deep fissures in the country. When Bazoum was elected president in 2021, there was a coup attempt about 48 hours before his inauguration. This coup d’etat will have a significant impact on peace and stability in Niger and the entire Sahel region.Īlthough Niger has recently enjoyed its longest democratic rule since independence, there has been a constant threat of coups.
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