(Updated with suspension of the constitution)
PARIS, July 28 (Reuters) –
The military in power in Niger, since the coup that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, announced on Friday the suspension of the Constitution as well as the dissolution of the country’s institutions, while General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who had self -proclaimed head of the new “transitional council”, becomes head of state.
“The president of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland is the head of state. He represents the State of Niger in international relations,” the soldiers said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Niger’s new strongman, who had led the presidential guard for 12 years and whom President Bazoum had, it seems, intended to dismiss, justified in a speech once again his coup by the “deterioration of the security situation” in the country.
He also criticized the deposed authorities’ lack of cooperation with ruling juntas in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, the three countries forming the epicenter of the jihadist insurgency in the Sahel region.
General Abdourahamane Tchiani did not explicitly mention relations with the French army, which has been fighting for a decade against groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State and which retreated towards Niger after being pushed out of Mali and Burkina Faso by the military leaders who emerged from the coup d’etat, against a backdrop of rapprochement with Russia.
The head of the Russian paramilitary militia Wagner, Evguéni Prigojine, has also welcomed the putsch in Niger, presenting it as the culmination of “the struggle of the people of Niger against their colonizers”.
SENTENCE OF EMMANUEL MACRON
French President Emmanuel Macron, for his part, said he was determined to work to restore constitutional order in Niger.
“France absolutely condemns in the strongest terms this military coup against a democratically elected leader,” said the head of state during a press conference in Papua New Guinea broadcast by the Elysée.
Emmanuel Macron called for the release of President Mohamed Bazoum, detained by the putschists, and the restoration of constitutional order, promising to work in this direction with West African leaders.
“This coup d’etat is perfectly illegitimate and deeply dangerous for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the entire region,” said the French president.
“We support regional organizations, in particular ECOWAS, in the decisions of mediation or condemnation and sanctions with regard to the putschists”, added Emmanuel Macron, specifying to have spoken with the presidents of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, and from Benin, Patrice Talon.
The Quai d’Orsay supported the French president’s remarks in a press release published on Friday.
“President Mohamed Bazoum, democratically elected by the people of Niger, is the only President of the Republic of Niger. France does not recognize the authorities resulting from the putsch led by General Tchiani”, indicates the press release from the Quai d’Orsay.
“We reiterate in the strongest terms the clear demands of the international community calling for the restoration without delay of constitutional order and democratically elected civil power in Niger”, can we also read.
The European Union also condemned “in the strongest terms the coup d’etat in Niger” in a press release published on Friday.
“Any breach of the constitutional order will have consequences for cooperation between the EU and Niger, including the immediate suspension of all budgetary support”, warns the European Union.
The French company Orano, which operates uranium mines in Niger, indicated for its part in a statement that its activities “continue” since the coup in Niamey, while specifying that “special attention” is provided for the safety of personnel and sites.
“Uranium from Niger covers less than 10% of the uranium used in French nuclear power plants”, specifies Orano, adding that Niger represents only 4% of the world’s uranium production.
France has about 1,500 soldiers in Niger and an air base. The United States also operates a large base of drones there, which patrol in particular along the border with Libya. (Written by Tangi Salaün and ZHifan Liu, with Benjamin Mallet and Anait Miridzhanian, editing by Blandine Hénault, Kate Entringer and Camille Raynaud)
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