AU condemns coup attempt in Niger
On Wednesday, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, strongly condemned the coup attempt in Niger. The attempted coup involved certain members of the military blocking access to the residence of Niger’s president, Mohamed Bazoum, with soldiers from the presidential guard. Niger has a history of experiencing coups since gaining independence from France in 1960.
In the statement issued by the AU Commission, Mahamat expressed deep displeasure with the developments, stating that the actions of the military members aimed to undermine the stability of democratic and republican institutions in Niger, amounting to an attempted coup d’état. He condemned the military’s actions as a betrayal of their republican duty.
Mahamat called on the military to immediately cease their unacceptable actions, and he urged the people of Niger, neighboring countries, especially those in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the international community to unite in unanimous condemnation of the coup attempt. He also demanded the immediate and unconditional return of the rogue soldiers to their barracks.
Such condemnations from the African Union and the international community play a crucial role in denouncing unconstitutional attempts to seize power and reaffirming support for democratic governance in the region.
