Soldiers attempt coup in Niger, its President’s office says

If the claim is confirmed, Niger would be the latest West African country to face a coup attempt in the past two years after a resurgence of military-led ousters in countries like Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.

Bazoum, who was elected in 2021, has been one of the most reliable partners to many Western countries in a volatile region filled with aging presidents clinging to power and young military officers who seized power by force.

Last year, the European Union pledged to provide $1.3 billion to diversify Niger’s economy away from oil. During a visit to the country in March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $150 million in humanitarian assistance to Niger and neighboring countries.

“Niger is a young democracy in a challenging part of the world, but it remains true to the democratic values that we share,” Blinken said in Niamey, the capital. “And Niger has been quick to defend democratic values under threat in neighboring countries.”

Niger has also held strategic importance for France, the former colonizer that has faced rising discontent from neighboring countries of Niger in recent years. France withdrew troops from Mali and Burkina Faso, after relationships with military juntas there soured.

Ulf Laessing, the head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, noted in an interview that Niamey was calm when he traveled there last week.

But he added that Bazoum may have faced growing discontent from parts of the military that have not received funding from Western partners, and regular Nigeriens, especially in Niamey, who are suffering hardship amid factors including a rising cost of living because of the growing presence of foreigners.

“Niger is stable,” Laessing said. “It has lots of friends and money coming in, but for people in Niamey, prices are going up and the benefits are not yet clear.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Elian Peltier