Niger has summoned the European Union's Chargée d'Affaires, Nicoletta Avella, to express its dissatisfaction with a European Parliament resolution concerning former President Mohamed Bazoum. This action underscores the ongoing tensions between Niger and the EU since the coup d'état in July 2023.
Niger's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, met with Nicoletta Avella in Niamey to communicate the government's position. The summons follows the adoption of a resolution by the European Parliament demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since the coup.
In an official statement, the Nigerien government expressed its "indignation" at what it considers to be "interference by the European Union in Niger's internal affairs". This firm reaction illustrates the deteriorating relations between Niger and the EU since the overthrow of President Bazoum.
The European Parliament's resolution also condemns the detention of Mohamed Bazoum and his wife, highlighting reports that they are being held without access to lawyers or family visits, and are receiving only limited medical care. The European Parliament is also concerned about the repression of political actors, journalists, and civil society in Niger, calling for the restoration of democratic order.
The 2023 coup d'état plunged Niger into a political crisis, leading to international sanctions and a suspension of aid from several foreign partners. The humanitarian situation has also deteriorated, with nearly one million people displaced and three million in need of humanitarian assistance. The EU, which was a key partner of Niger in the Sahel region, has expressed its deep concern about the situation.
The summoning of the EU Chargée d'Affaires demonstrates the complexity of relations between Niger and the European Union in the current context. The political future of Niger and its relations with the international community remain uncertain.
The situation in Niger is part of a worrying regional trend of democratic backsliding and military coups in the Sahel.
