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☆ Niger junta repeals law aimed at slowing migration to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Niger's junta, which took power in a July coup, repealed the law on Saturday and announced it on Monday evening on state television. In return, the European Union launched the 5 billion euro Trust Fund for Africa in 2015, aimed at eradicating the root causes of migration, but many felt it was not enough. How European leaders greet the news, and the impact on migration to Europe, is yet to be seen. Andre Chani used to earn thousands of dollars a month driving migrants through the desert before police impounded his trucks in 2016. Reporting by Moussa Aksar and Edward McAllister; editing by Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yara, Andre Chani, Moussa Aksar, Edward McAllister, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Fund, Thomson Locations: Lampedusa, Italy, NIAMEY, West Africans, Europe, Niger, Africa, Agadez

But in an about turn, Macron announced on Sunday that the ambassador would return to Paris and French troops would leave. Two security sources in Niger said Itte had flown out of the country. Demonstrators hold placards and Niger's flags as they gather outside Niger's embassy in support of the President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum in Paris, France, August 5, 2023. Crowds of junta supporters have spent days camping outside a French military base to demand the troops' departure. Some analysts have expressed concern that the withdrawal of French troops from Niger could further hamper Western efforts to stem the violence, which has risen since the coups, and bolster Russian influence in the region.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Sylvain Itte, Mohamed Bazoum, Macron, Itte, Catherine Colonna, Yucouba Abdou, Abdou, Niger Mohamed Bazoum, Stephanie Lecocq, Paris, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Moussa Aksar, Michel Rose, John Irish, Sofia Christensen, Anait, Toby Chopra, Estelle Shirbon, Philippa Fletcher, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Niger, Quai, French, Nigerien, Reuters, REUTERS, France, Thomson Locations: Niger French, NIAMEY, Niger, Paris, France, Niamey, French, N'Djamena, Niger's, West Africa, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Sahel

☆ Niger junta reopens airspace after coup - transport ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NIAMEY, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Niger's military leaders have reopened the country's airspace to all commercial flights after closing it on Aug. 6 after they seized power in a coup, a transport ministry spokesperson said on Monday. The closure had forced Air France (AIRF.PA) and other European carriers to suspend some flights and take longer routes across the African continent. Landlocked Niger is more than twice the size of France and many flight paths across Africa would normally pass above it. The junta had initially closed Niger's airspace citing the threat of military intervention from the West African regional bloc. Reporting by Moussa Aksar; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Estelle ShirbonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Moussa Aksar, Nellie Peyton, Estelle Shirbon Organizations: Air France, West African, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, France, Africa

☆ Niger says 17 of its soldiers killed in ambush near Burkina Faso border
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Moussa Aksar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The swift reaction of the soldiers and the air-land response at the scene of the skirmish enabled the enemy to be dealt with," the ministry said. Niger hosts U.S., French, German and Italian troops as part of international efforts to combat the insurgency, under agreements with the now deposed civilian government. Insecurity remains a major problem across the southwest, near the border with Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which also have army governments that took control through coups. On the Malian side, the departure of French troops last year left a security vacuum that the Islamists have exploited. Mali's junta brought in mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group, who have been accused of executing civilians and committing other grave human rights abuses.

Persons: General Abdourahmane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Tiani, Bazoum, Russia's Wagner, Wagner, Nellie Peyton, Anait Miridzhanian, Edward McAllister, Estelle Shirbon, Conor Humphries, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: West African States, ECOWAS, Islamic, United Nations, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niamey, Burkina Faso, Niger, West Africa's, al Qaeda, Islamic State, U.S, Mali, Malian, France, Paris

This account of how Niger's coup unfolded is based on 15 interviews with Nigerien security officials, politicians, as well as current and former Western government officials. In his first address following the July 26 coup, Tiani said he had ousted the president for the good of the country. But in recent months, Bazoum had curtailed the size of the presidential guard, which was about 700-strong at the time of the coup, and started to scrutinize its budget. Issoufou was elected in 2011, a year after a previous military coup. Almost all the different branches of Niger's security apparatus had a member in the group, including the police, army, air force and presidential guard.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Mahamadou Issoufou, Regis, Mohamed Bazoum, Bazoum, Abdourahamane Tiani, Tiani, Keen, Issoufou, Spokespeople, swirled, Salifou Mody, Mody, Hassoumi Massaoudou, Amadou Abdramane, Ahmad Sidien, Moussa Aksar, David Lewis, David Gauthier, Michel Rose, Edward McAllister, Alexandra Zavis, David Clarke Organizations: Niger, REUTERS, Nigerien, Reuters, West African States, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Western, Niger Armed Forces, United Arab Emirates, National Guard, Thomson Locations: Sahel, French, Pau, France, NIAMEY, United States, Niamey, Diffa, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Russia, West Africa, Tiani, Nairobi, Villars, Istanbul, Paris, Dakar

An aerial view of traffic on a street in the capital Niamey, Niger July 28, 2023. In a sign of this resistance to one-time allies, Niger on Thursday suspended broadcasts of French state-funded international news outlets France 24 and RFI - drawing condemnation from the French foreign ministry. One of the demonstrators in Niamey held a placard that said: "Long live Niger, Russia, Mali and Burkina. After their coups, Burkina Faso and Mali kicked out French troops, many of whom are now stationed in Niger. In Niger, there are signs that regional sanctions are starting to have an impact: Nigeria has cut power supplies to Niger, while Nigerien truckers have been stranded by border closures.

Persons: General Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Tiani, crackdowns, Sall, Antony Blinken, it's, Allah, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Moussa Aksar, Camillus Eboh, Thiam, Tiemoko Diallo, Ange Aboa, Alessandra Prentice, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning, Emelia, Nick Macfie, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Niger's, France, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, Sunday, EU, National Assembly, Islamic, Niger, Reuters, West, Senegalese, U.S, United Nations, Nigerien, CFA, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, NIAMEY, ABUJA, France, West, Central Africa, Russia, Burkina, Down, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Niger ., Nigeria, Senegal, Nigerian, China, Paris

Last week, Tiani, a general, used his position and manpower to do the opposite. "We cannot continue with the same approaches proposed so far, as it risks witnessing the gradual and inevitable disappearance of our nation," he said. Regional powers have threatened military intervention if he does not return Bazoum to power within days. Just last week, Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, was seen as the West's last ally in the region. The speed of change in Niger is evident in Tiani's biography.

Persons: Tiani, Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Fatherland ,, Emelia Sithole, Edward McAllister Organizations: UN, College of International Security Affairs, Fort McNair, United Nations, Democratic, European Union, Reuters, National Council, Fatherland, State, Thomson Locations: France, Senegal NIAMEY, West, Central Africa, Mali, Burkina Faso, Filingué, Niger, Agadez, Morocco, Senegal, United States, Washington , DC, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, U.S

[1/9] Demonstrators gather in support of the putschist soldiers in Niamey, the capital city of Niger July 30, 2023. Images showed fires at the walls of the French Embassy and people being loaded into ambulances with bloodied legs. Military officials involved in the coup would be banned from travelling and have their assets frozen, it added. The Niger military rulers later asked protesters to abstain from vandalism and destruction of property. The European Union and France have cut off financial support to Niger and the United States has threatened to do the same.

Persons: Stringer, Mohammed Bazoum, General Abdourahamane Tiani, Amadou Abdramane, Sani Idrissa, Russia's Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Boureima Balima, Moussa Aksar, Felix Onuah, Elizabeth Pineau, Bate Felix, Andrew Cawthorne, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Pro, Niamey Military, Sahel region's, French Embassy, Economic, West, West African Economic, Monetary Union, Military, United Nations, African Union, European Union, World Bank, The, ECOWAS, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, Sahel, NIAMEY, ABUJA, Niger's, Nigeria, States, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, United States, France, The United States, Italy, Germany, French, Niger national, Russian, Abuja, Paris

☆ Niger loses aid as Western countries condemn coup
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, receiving close to $2 billion a year in official development assistance, according to the World Bank. It is also a key security partner of Western countries such as France and the United States, which use it as a base for their efforts to contain an Islamist insurgency in West and Central Africa's Sahel region. Bazoum has not been heard from since early Thursday when he was confined within the presidential palace, although the European Union, France and others say they still recognize him as the legitimate president. Niger is a key partner of the European Union in helping curb the flow of irregular migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. The United States has two military bases in Niger with some 1,100 soldiers, and also provides hundreds of millions of dollars to the country in security and development aid.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, General Abdourahamane Tiani, Bazoum, Josep Borrell, Antony Blinken, Moussa Aksar, Kate Abnett, Nellie Peyton, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, European, World Bank, European Union, EU, United, United Nations, West African States, Security, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, NIAMEY, United States, France, West, Central, EU, Saharan Africa, Antony Blinken ., Bazoum, Nigeria, Brussels

☆ Niger coup leaders dissolve govt, declare Tiani head of state
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Moussa Aksar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NIAMEY, July 28 (Reuters) - Leaders of the coup in Niger declared General Abdourahamane Tiani as the new head of state on Friday, and said they had suspended the constitution and dissolved all former institutions after overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum. He represents the state of Niger in international relations," an officer said, reading out a statement. African countries, Western powers, regional and international organizations have reacted with alarm to the coup in Niger, insisting that Bazoum be freed and constitutional order restored. Niger borders three countries - Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad - that have also experienced military coups in the last two years. Niger so far has held them off better than Mali and Burkina Faso, where violence has only worsened since the military coups.

Persons: Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Tiani, Bazoum, Josep Borrell, Kamala Harris, Boris Pistorius, Bate Felix, Anait, Nellie Peyton, John Stonestreet, Angus MacSwan, Nick Macfie Organizations: National Council, Bazoum, REUTERS, Islamic, West African States, European Union, United, European, EU, German, Spiegel, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, France, Niamey, al Qaeda, Islamic State, West Africa's, Nigeria, Guinea, United States, Africa, EU, Germany, Italy

☆ Factbox: Who is Niger's new leader, Abdourahamane Tiani?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NIAMEY, July 28 (Reuters) - General Abdourahamane Tiani, the commander of Niger's presidential guard, was appointed head of state on Friday by a governing council set up by military forces that ousted President Mohammed Bazoum. Here are five facts about him:BACKGROUNDTiani is from Filingue, in the Nigerien region of Tillaberi, which borders Mali. RISE TO ELITE UNITThe 62-year-old decorated general and former military attache at Niger's embassy in Germany has led the elite presidential guard unit since 2011. FIGHT AGAINST CONTRABANDHe also served as head of a battalion in Agadez and led military operations in the Niger desert against contraband and drug traffickers. Reporting by Moussa Aksar; Writing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise; Editing by Conor HumphriesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohammed Bazoum, Tiani, Moussa Aksar, Emelia Sithole, Conor Humphries Organizations: UNIT, French UTA, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Filingue, Nigerien, Tillaberi, Mali, Germany, French, Bilma, Niger, Agadez

ORTN/via Reuters TV/Handout via REUTERSNIAMEY, July 27 (Reuters) - Niger's army command on Thursday declared its support for a coup instigated the previous day by soldiers of the presidential guard, saying its priority was to avoid destabilising the country. President Mohamed Bazoum and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou earlier urged democratic forces in the country to resist the power grab, as western officials said the status of the coup attempt was unclear. They earlier cut off the presidential palace in the capital Niamey, with the president inside. Massoudou also called on "democrats and patriots" to make the "attempted coup" fail, according to a posting on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Niamey was quiet on Thursday morning as citizens awoke to heavy rain, closed borders and a nationwide curfew imposed by the coup instigators.

Persons: Major Amadou Adramane, Mohamed Bazoum, Hassoumi Massoudou, Bazoum, Massoudou, Bate Felix, Boureima Balima, Moussa Aksar, John Irish, Sofia Christensen, John Stonestreet Organizations: Niger Army, Reuters, REUTERS, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, REUTERS NIAMEY, West, Central Africa, Sahel

'ONLY HOPE' FOR STABILITY IN SAHELNiger became a democratic outlier in West Africa's Sahel region following military takeovers in neighbouring Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad since 2020. All four countries of the arid Sahel region, just south of the Sahara, are now run by military leaders after soldiers in Niger said on Wednesday night they had ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. France, which has had counter-insurgency troops in West Africa for a decade, has turned to Niger to base the bulk of its forces. Their role is solely to support Niger's army when local forces identify operations in the border regions connecting Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The European Union decided in December to set up a three-year military training mission in Niger, to which Germany contributes troops.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, juntas, Moussa Aksar, John Irish, Nellie Peyton, Bate Felix, Emelia Sithole, Leslie Adler Organizations: Islamic, National Assembly, REUTERS, European Union, DEMOCRATIC, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, John, Thomson Locations: West Africa, Niger, Africa's Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Russia, France, United States, U.S, Russian, Niamey, ACLED, Germany, Italy, Guinea, Bissau, Guinea Bissau, Paris

NIAMEY, July 26 (Reuters) - Niger presidential guards are holding President Mohamed Bazoum inside the presidential palace in the capital, which has been blocked off by military vehicles since Wednesday morning, security sources said. The movements have the semblance of four military takeovers that have hit neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020. Ministries next to the palace have also been blocked off, and staff inside the palace have not been able to access to their offices, presidency and security sources said. The rest of Niamey appeared calm, with normal morning traffic on the road and full internet access, a Reuters reporter said. There was also a thwarted coup attempt in Niger in March 2021, when a military unit tried to seize the presidential palace days before Bazoum was due to be sworn in.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Bazoum, Moussa Aksar, Boureima Balima, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Sofia Christensen, Andrew Heavens, Alexander Winning, Nick Macfie Organizations: Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niamey

☆ Niger presidential guards are holding President Bazoum inside palace - security sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NIAMEY, July 26 (Reuters) - Niger presidential guards are holding President Mohamed Bazoum inside the presidential palace, which has been blocked off by military vehicles, security sources said on Wednesday. Reporting by Moussa Aksar Writing by Sofia Christensen Editing by Alexander WinningOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Moussa Aksar, Sofia Christensen, Alexander Winning Organizations: Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger

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