Niger: Sanction of ECOWAS/Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine reacts
The new Prime Minister appointed by Niger’s new authorities, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, said on Monday that his country would overcome the sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
«We believe that even though this is an unfair challenge that has been imposed on us, we should be able to overcome it. And we will overcome it», declared Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine in an interview with German media outlet Deutsche Welle.
On Niger’s relations with ECOWAS, the new Prime Minister was rather conciliatory. «We have a great interest in preserving this important and historic relationship and in ensuring that ECOWAS works first and foremost on purely economic issues», he said.
«If we find that the political and military principle takes precedence over this economic solidarity, that would be very regrettable», he noted.
Since the seizure of power by the military on 26 July, Niger has been subject to numerous sanctions, notably from ECOWAS, but also from the World Bank and the European Union.
The ECOWAS sanctions essentially consist of the suspension of financial transactions with Niger and the freezing of all service transactions, including energy transactions.
Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine was appointed Prime Minister by the military on 7 August and was Niger’s Finance Minister from 2002 to 2010.
Neil Camara
