Salt there tension in Niger. After the coup, with the overthrow of President Bazoum, e the assault on the French embassy in Niamey (Capital of Niger) with the cry of "Viva Putin", Paris ordered theevacuation of the country of his compatriots in fear of reprisals against the large French community residing in the state. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports this in a statement.
“Taking into account the situation in Niamey, the violence perpetrated the day before yesterday against our embassy and the closure of the airspace which leaves our compatriots with no possibility of leaving the country by their own means, France is preparing the evacuation of its citizens and European citizens who wish to leave the country”, reads the note, specifying that “this evacuation begins today”.
Tajani: special flight ready for Italy
Italy has decided to offer a “special flight” for fellow citizens present in Niamey. The embassy, however, will remain "open and operational" to support ongoing mediation efforts.
“The Italian government has decided to offer to our fellow citizens present in Niamey the possibility of leaving the city with a special flight to Italy. The Embassy in Niamey will remain open and operational, also to contribute to the mediation efforts a course” writes the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani in a tweet about X.
Meanwhile, the European Union is evaluating how and whether to intervene, with France which could also decide to act alone.
Ecowas: seven-day ultimatum to restore order
La international community jointly expressed its support for the restoration of constitutional order and the return to power of Bazoum, the first Nigerien leader to be democratically elected in 2021. The USA and the EU have taken this direction, while Russia has also taken the distances from the Wagner company, which openly sided with the rebels. L'Ecowas, the economic bloc of West African countries, has taken the most drastic measure, imposing a series of sanctions that include a no-fly zone, border closures and the freezing of Nigerien assets at the central banks of other affiliated member states .
The group, led by the Nigerian president, imposed a seven day ultimatum to restore order overturned by the coup. So far, the coup plotters have flatly refused the request, indeed they have carried out a barrage of arrests of politicians and ministers, and the other military juntas have sympathized with them.
Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali support the coup
The military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali e Guinea, who seized power through coups between 2020 and 2022, yes are opposed to the ultimatum of seven days established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). These have issued a joint statement in which they express closeness to the new government in Niamey and reject the idea of a military intervention against the coup plotters.
The juntas threaten to fight back in the event that the blockade of countries were to resort to the use of force: "a military action will be considered an act of war" they declared in the statement.
