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The US will freeze economic and security assistance to Niger if the country fails to restore its president following a military coup earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Washington is ramping up pressure on Niger to reinstate detained President Mohamed Bazoum a day after the United Nations Security Council condemned the latest coup in Africa’s Sahel region, which has been increasingly rocked by conflict.
The economic and security partnership between Niger and the United States “depends on the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order that has been disrupted by the actions in the last few days,” Blinken said during a visit to Canberra on Saturday, adding that he had spoken with Bazoum earlier in the day.
“The very significant assistance that we have in place and is making a material difference in the lives of the people of Niger, is clearly in jeopardy,” Blinken said.
The European Union also cut off financial support and security cooperation with Niger and called for the full restoration of constitutional order, according to a statement by Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat. France also announced Saturday that it was suspending development aid and budgetary support to its former colony.
On Friday, the UN issued a joint statement which “strongly condemned” the coup, gaining support from Russia and China.