The European Union (EU) has announced that it has halted its budgetary support and security cooperation with the nation as a result of the coup d’état that resulted in the ouster of President of the Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum.
The head of EU foreign policy, Josep Borrell, announced this in a statement on Saturday.
The union declared that it would also support additional sanctions against the military regime from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which is now presided over by President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.
According to Reuters, the EU had allocated $554 million (429,627,000,000) to help Niger’s annual budget from 2021 to 2024.
Remember when this publication announced that soldiers from the Presidential Guard (PG) had detained the president and accused the political class of lacking in leadership?
International allies and the regional bloc of West Africa known as ECOWAS had pleaded with the coup plotters to release the president unconditionally.
But the coup plotters announced the fall of the government while sealing off its borders, finally winning the support of the remainder of the military forces.
Borrell continued by saying that the EU does not and will not recognize the forces responsible for toppling the democratic government.
While announcing the (indefinite) suspension of EU financial assistance to Niger, he urged ECOWAS to impose the necessary penalties.
“President Bazoum was democratically elected; he is and therefore remains the only legitimate President of Niger.
“The European Union reiterates its very clear calls for the full and complete restoration, without delay, of constitutional order and fully associates itself with the declarations of ECOWAS and its African and international partners in this regard.
“And we stand ready to support future ECOWAS decisions, including the adoption of sanctions.
“In this regard, in addition to the immediate cessation of budget support, all cooperation actions in the security field are suspended sine die with immediate effect,” he stated.