Niger : Protest by civil society organizations against the arrival of an ECOWAS delegation in Niamey

A delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced their arrival in the capital of Niger on Thursday, January 25, 2024. Following this announcement, the Nigerian civil society did not hide its frustration, which was expressed through a two-day sit-in from Wednesday, January 24, to Thursday, January 25, 2024.

After the fall of Bazoum’s government, ECOWAS imposed various criminal sanctions, affecting the economic, social, and financial aspects. These sanctions heavily impacted the budget and economy of a country with one of the lowest human development indices. Seven months after the measures were implemented, the country has shown resilience. Civil society organizations believe that ECOWAS has exhausted its arsenal of sanctions against Niger, subjecting the Nigerien people to the worst sanctions, which they have reluctantly accepted.

The purpose of this gathering is to show the arriving ECOWAS delegation in the capital of Niger on the morning of Thursday, January 25, 2024, that the Nigerien people are still mobilized to support the National Council for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) in its patriotic work of rebuilding. This gathering reflects the determination of the people to now assume their independence and full sovereignty.

In the afternoon of Thursday, January 25, the Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Finance, Mr. Ali Mahamane Lamine Zene, held a press briefing at his office regarding the absence of a significant part of the team supposed to participate in the negotiations between Niger and ECOWAS aimed at lifting the imposed sanctions. Only the Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, part of the negotiating team, was present.

« We are obliged to note that there is bad faith on the part of this organization and probably the countries behind it, pushing not to allow our country, which has chosen to go in the direction of sovereignty, to escape from this punishment hunt imposed on it », stated Mr. Lamine Zene. This raises questions about the real intentions of ECOWAS regarding the Niger dossier.

Ly Razak