Jesse Voyamba
In a show of displeasure at the recent coup attempt, the United Nations has suspended its humanitarian operations in Niger.
The move comes as the United States, France, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States have all condemned the coup.
The UN said that the suspension of operations was necessary to ensure the safety of its staff and to avoid any potential interference with the country’s political process.
Niger is facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than 4 million people in need of assistance.
The coup attempt has only made the situation worse, as it has disrupted the delivery of aid and caused widespread fear and insecurity.
The UN has called on the coup leaders to restore constitutional order and allow humanitarian assistance to reach those in need.
It remains to be seen whether the coup leaders will heed the UN’s call.
However, the suspension of humanitarian operations is a major blow to the people of Niger, who are already facing immense challenges.
The UN has said that it will continue to monitor the situation in Niger and will resume its operations as soon as it is safe to do so.
OCHA “is telling us that humanitarian operations are currently on hold, given the situation,” UN spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said.
Niger’s armed forces chief on Thursday declared his support for troops who said they had overthrown the government.
This was according to a statement signed by the army chief of staff, Abdou Issa, who said this was to “preserve the physical integrity” of the president and his family and avoid “a deadly confrontation that could create a bloodbath and affect the security of the population.”
“The military command has decided to subscribe to the declaration made by the Defence and Security Forces in order to avoid a deadly confrontation between the various forces,” he said in the statement.
In a televised address on Wednesday, Colonel Major Amadou Adramane, a spokesman for the Nigerien army, announced that the defense and security forces had “decided to put an end to the regime” of President Mohamed Bazoum.
In a tweet on Thursday, Bazoum said that the “hard-won achievements” of democracy and freedom in Niger would be safeguarded.
The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said that he had spoken to Bazoum to offer support from Washington, which deploys about 1,100 troops in Niger.
“Whether this constitutes a coup technically or not, I can’t say, that’s for the lawyers to say, but what it clearly constitutes is an effort to seize power by force and to disrupt the constitution,” Blinken told a news conference in the New Zealand capital, Wellington.
