Algeria offered the soldiers who seized power in Niger “a six-month transition plan” before a return to constitutional and democratic order, instead of the three years they suggested, said his head of diplomacy on Tuesday.
Niger’s new strongman, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has called for “a transition period that would last a maximum of three years”recalled Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, during a press conference in Algiers.
“But, in our opinion, the process can be completed in six months, so that the coup [en cours] does not become a ‘done deal'”, he added. Mr. Attaf had just returned from a tour of three countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): Nigeria, Benin and Ghana.
The number two in his ministry, Lounes Magramane, had traveled to Niamey at the same time, where he was able to meet with Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine. But he did not meet ousted President Mohamed Bazoum there, Attaf said. The head of diplomacy did not specify whether Mr. Bazoum would be part of the transition plan proposed by Algeria or not.
“Consensual personality”
Algiers offers political discussions “for a maximum of six months (…) with the participation and approval of all parties in Niger without exclusion”under the supervision of a “civil authority led by a consensual personality and accepted by all sides of the political class”in order to lead to “restoration of constitutional order in the country”according to Mr. Attaf.
The Minister reiterated the opposition of Algeria, which shares almost a thousand kilometers of borders with Niger, to any armed intervention in its neighbour. “We reject a military solution, how could we authorize the use of our airspace for a military operation? »underlined the minister.
President Tebboune announced on August 6 that he refused “categorically any military intervention” outside Niger which represents, according to him, “a direct threat to Algeria”. After the overthrow on July 26 of Nigerien President Bazoum, elected in 2021, ECOWAS announced on August 10 its intention to deploy a West African force “to restore constitutional order in Niger”.
Mr. Attaf warned against “catastrophic effects” of a military solution which risks “push thousands of Nigeriens on the path of migration”considering that a new conflict in the region could constitute “an additional incubator for terrorism and organized crime”.