Late Wednesday, uniformed military officials announced that Army General Abdourahamane Tchiani had seized power from Niger’s democratically elected leader, Mohamed Bazoum.
Barely two days later, on Friday, Army General Tchiani appeared himself on state television. In the television broadcast, he says that the coup was carried out because the country needs a “change of course”.
“Not unexpected”
The EU does not recognize the coup plotters, and is therefore withdrawing all financial support to Niger.
– The fact that the EU is suspending its cooperation with the state and the budget support it provides from the EU is not unexpected as it does not recognize the new military regime that has been presented, says Jakob Wernerberg.
In the past, the EU has allocated over 500 million euros to Niger between 2021 and 2024. Withdrawing that support risks having serious consequences for the population.
– The situation is extremely worrying in Niger, above all for the population which is already one of the poorest in the world with massive humanitarian needs.
Swedish aid remains
Sweden currently has no bilateral development cooperation with Niger. The humanitarian aid of a little over SEK 70 million will remain, but it may increase in the future.
– Our partners will intensify their work and this may mean that the humanitarian needs will increase and thus also the humanitarian aid from Sweden.
Due to the security situation in the country, it has been difficult and complicated, even before the military coup, to arrive with the important humanitarian support.
– This is in a region where we have seen several military coups in recent years, including Mali and Burkina Faso. This has led to even more problems in reaching humanitarian aid and an increase in humanitarian needs.
Over four million need support
According to the UN’s assessment, 4.3 million people, approximately 15 percent of the country’s 26 million inhabitants, are in need of humanitarian aid.
– It is a huge humanitarian disaster that we are seeing. Much due to armed conflicts between various rebel groups and the state military, but also due to stunting, general poverty, problematic institutions with healthcare and so on, which do not work. And serious diseases and epidemics.