Niger Coup: USA orders evacuations of its citizens as the embattled West African teeters on edge
The United States has joined the list of countries who have issued orders to evacuate their citizens from Niger. It has ordered all non-emergency government personnel to temporarily evacuate its embassy in Niger, as the country weathers the aftershocks of a July coup. In a statement yesterday, US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller explained that the measure was taken “out of an abundance of caution” and that the embassy itself would remain open, though only for “limited, emergency services”. Miller said that the US is “diplomatically engaged at the highest levels”, adding that the embassy remained open for limited, emergency services to US citizens. The Secretary of state ,Antony Blinken, has also said that the White House was committed to restore the stricken country’s government. Niger is a key western ally in the fight against Islamist insurgents in the region. Foreign powers have condemned the takeover, fearing it could allow the militants to gain ground.
#Nigercoup #Coupinniger #Mohammedbazoumniger
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#Nigercoup #Coupinniger #Mohammedbazoumniger
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Transcript
00:00 The United States has joined the list of countries who have issued orders to evacuate their citizens
00:07 from Niger.
00:08 It has ordered all non-emergency government personnel to temporarily evacuate its embassy
00:13 in Niger as the country weathers the aftershocks of a July coup.
00:18 In a statement yesterday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller explained that
00:23 the measure was taken out of an abundance of caution and that the embassy itself would
00:27 remain open though only for limited emergency services.
00:32 Miller said that the US is diplomatically engaged at the highest levels, adding that
00:36 the embassy remained open for limited emergency services only to US citizens.
00:41 The Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also said that the White House was committed
00:46 to restore the stricken country's government.
00:49 Niger is a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist insurgents in the region.
00:53 Foreign powers have condemned the takeover, fearing it could allow the militants to gain
00:57 ground.
00:58 The US announcement came as the self-declared new leaders of Niger said that the junta would
01:03 not reinstate Bassem despite pressure from neighbouring countries.
01:07 Earlier in the day, the first of several planned military flights departed from Niger and landed
01:12 in Paris, carrying 262 people on board, mostly from France and Italy.
01:17 As with those countries, the US has discouraged its citizens from making unnecessary travel
01:21 to Niger, particularly in the capital of Niamey.
01:25 Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States, or the ECOWAS, has imposed
01:30 sanctions on Niger and said it could authorise the use of force if the coup leaders do not
01:35 restore Bassem's presidency within a week from last Sunday.
01:38 The bloc also sent a delegation to Niger on Wednesday to negotiate with the coup leaders.
01:44 ECOWAS has struggled to contain a democratic backslide in West Africa and vowed that coups
01:49 would no longer be tolerated after military takeovers in member states Mali, Burkina Faso
01:54 and Guinea.
01:55 The 15-nation regional bloc has taken its hardest line yet on the coup, prompting Mali
02:00 and Burkina Faso, also ruled by military juntas, to say that any military intervention in Niger
02:06 would be considered a declaration of war against them too.
02:10 Niger President Bassem's swift removal has generated international outcry, including
02:15 among Western countries like the US, which considered him a key ally in Africa's embattled
02:20 Sahel region.
02:22 Niger alone has experienced four successful military coups since gaining independence
02:26 from France, with the latest one marking a fifth.
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