Page 16 - Issue 56

ELITE VOL.1, Issue 56, june 2023
ELITE
VOL.1, Issue 56, june 2023

Niger … and the French darkness

Youssef Mousa - Political Science - fourth year

As a continuation of the series of military coups anxiety and turmoil, and the bad conditions
taking place in West African countries, the state of in the French capital, Paris, since the start of
Niger witnessed a military coup by the commander a series of withdrawals from Africa, as this
of the presidential guard, Abd al-Rahman Chani, constitutes a threat to French interests and
gaining the support of the armed forces for this coup the strength of the French economy.
against the elected president, Muhammad Bazoum , Especially after France withdrew from Mali
that coup took place with the aim of preserving the last year.
unity within the territory of Niger and the non- The French economy depends heavily
occurrence of conflicts and divisions within it . . This on African resources, where France obtains
coup was also supported by the people of Niger, uranium from Niger to generate electricity,
who came out carrying the flag of Russia, which and gets iron that goes into the automobile
raises great fears for the West. After Muhammad industry from Mauritania, and reliance on
Bazoum was arrested, this means that there will be fuel from Gabon, and cobalt that goes into
a change in Niger's internal and external policies, the manufacture of phones and smart
and on top of those changes is the cessation of devices from the Congo, And the cocoa that
uranium exports to France. Which led to the you get from the Ivory Coast to make
indignation of France and Western countries, chocolate, so a large number of industries, if
especially the United States, demanding the speedy not most of the French economy, depend on
release of President Muhammad Bazoum and a African resources. So does France’s exit
return to the constitutional order, taking into account from Niger mean that the rest of the African
that this decision has no legitimacy because it was countries unite for France’s exit from its
not issued by the main authority in the country. lands and cooperation from the East,
Some countries, on the top the United States, especially after it established the people
represented by its President Biden and Secretary of burned the French flag and raised the
State Blinken, who are calling for the speedy release Russian flag, which is a great insult to
of the president, they are seeking meetings with France.
French President Macron to discuss ways to release The European Union strongly
Bazoum. France is going through a period full of condemns the military coup and its
repercussions in niger
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