Germany pushes for EU sanctions on Niger’s military rulers

BERLIN

Germany’s top diplomat has called for sanctions against Niger’s military rulers, ahead of an EU foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday.

“Germany is working hard to quickly get a sanctions regime underway, so that we can make it clear that, as democratic states of the EU, that we stand by other democracies when they need us,” Annalena Baerbock told reporters in Toledo, Spain.

Baerbock expressed strong support for the efforts of the West African bloc ECOWAS to persuade the military leaders in Niger to relinquish power and restore constitutional order.

“The neighboring states in the Sahel, and the ECOWAS states, made it clear that no democracy in this world can simply look the other way when another democracy is being wiped away,” she said.

“The situation is anything but easy, and that is why it is so important that we continue to strengthen the cooperation between the ECOWAS and the EU over the next few months stand up for international law,” she added.

Niger was plunged into turmoil on July 26 when Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

Bazoum was elected in 2021 in Niger’s first democratic power transition since it gained independence from French colonial rule in 1960.