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Coup in Niger: Algeria Supports Mohamed Bazoum, Morocco Is Cautious

Algeria hastened to announce its support for Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum against the coup attempt led by the presidential guard in Niamey on Wednesday.ย While the situation in Niger remains unclear, Morocco has not yet communicated its official position.ย During the 2022 coup in Burkina Faso, Rabat did not react to the events until three days later.

The President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, was arrested by the presidential guard in the capital Niamey, Wednesday July 26, 2023. A few hours later on public television, a group of soldiers announced the closure of borders and the establishment of a curfew in the country. Elected in February 2021, Mohamed Bazoum is considered one of the last pro-Western leaders in the Sahel, after countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso have witnessed coups in recent years that have brought the army in power.

Many countries were quick to condemn the military coup in Niger. They also called for the release of Mohamed Bazoum, who remains isolated by a military group of the presidential guard. This is particularly the case of Algeria, whose Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned this upheaval, the same day. In a press release, the Algerian diplomacy indicated that it was following โ€œwith great concernโ€ the evolution of the situation.

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Algeria supports Mohamed Bazoum

In its statement, the Algerian Foreign Ministry called for an โ€œimmediate endโ€ to what it described as โ€œan unacceptable attack on the constitutional systemโ€ of Niger and โ€œa serious violation of the requirements of the rule of lawโ€. . In addition, he insisted on “the need for everyone to work to preserve the political and institutional order”, as well as the stability of the Republic of Niger.

Subsequently, the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, had a telephone conversation with his Nigerien counterpart, Massaoudou Hassoumi, in order to โ€œtransmit to President Mohamed Bazoum the support and solidarity of his brother, President Tebboune, in this difficult ordeal that the sister republic of Niger is undergoingโ€, according to a second press release from the ministry in Algiers.

The Algerian minister also informed his counterpart of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s wishes that Niger “quickly overcome this ordeal and find the path to political and institutional stability”, adds the same source. Indeed, Algeria maintains good relations with Mohamed Bazoum, who visited Algiers in July 2021. This visit also enabled the two countries to seal several bilateral agreements.

Algiers is also betting on Niamey to compete with the gas pipeline project between Morocco and Nigeria, which dates back decades and was revived after the signing of an agreement between former President Muhammadu Buhari and King Mohammed VI, to transport Nigerian gas across the kingdom and a set of West African countries.

Morocco has not yet reacted to the situation

In the aftermath of these latest upheavals in Niger, Morocco did not publish an official communication. Like previous military coups in the region, Rabat is waiting for the situation to be clearer. Before formalizing its position regarding the coup in Burkina Faso, neighboring Niger, in September 2022, the kingdom waited three days. In its press release at that time, Morocco did not position itself either in favor or against one speaker or the other. He instead called on “all stakeholders” to give primacy to the national interest of their country, to work for the security and stability of the Burkinabe people.

Despite his good relations with Algeria, Mohamed Bazoum is keen to maintain balanced ties with Morocco. Evidenced by the tone of the communications sanctioning the meetings of Nigerien officials with their Algerian counterparts and which is devoid of references to the question of Western Sahara. This was also the case following Bazoum’s visit to Algeria in July 2021.

In May 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger affirmed in Marrakech his country’s support for the political process of settling the regional dispute over the Sahara, under the aegis of the United Nations. He also welcomed the efforts made by Morocco to settle this issue. In December of the same year, the Minister of Communication in charge of relations with the institutions of Niger, Mahamadou Laoualy dan Dano, affirmed that the position of Niger on the question of the Sahara was โ€œexpress and clearโ€. He stressed that his country was “a long-time friend of Morocco and it will remain so”.

For now, the situation in Niamey remains murky. In addition to Algeria, the President of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Moussa Faki Mahamat, condemned the coup, as did the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigerian President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the French government and the European Union (EU).

In the United States, the White House expressed its concern about the evolution of the conflict. In this sense, Washington demanded the release of Mohamed Bazoum. This Thursday, July 27, Russia also reacted through its diplomacy, which called for a โ€œconstructive and peaceful dialogueโ€, while wishing the โ€œrapid releaseโ€ of Mohamed Bazoum.

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