It has been a week since the coup military junta led by General Abdourahmane Tchianide arrested the president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum , and forcibly took power in the African country. The news, illuminated in a modest way by the media spotlight, could have serious implications for Europe, which had one of its main allies in Africa in the until now deposed Niger government. The response from the European Union has not been long in coming, immediately ceasing the Western economic support that came to the country and suspending "sine die" all actions regarding military cooperation. According to Reuters , the EU had allocated €503 million to improve governance, education and sustainable growth for the period 2021-2024 in Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world and yet the fourth largest uranium producer in the world. world, according to the World Nuclear Association . This situation represents a final move in the complicated geopolitical chess game being played for control of Africa's vast resources. Colonial quarrels, fossil fuel wells, reserves of strategic and precious metals; Eurasia and the West are struggling to expand or maintain their areas of influence on the continent.
war drums Backed by the European and North American governments, the heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have Phone Number List given a one-week ultimatum - of which five days remain - to the coup plotters to restore them to office. to the deposed Bazoum. Otherwise, they say, they will take measures that would include the use of force. However, the Nigerien military junta does not seem willing to back down and is taking up the gauntlet thrown down by ECOWAS . Those from Burkina Faso and Mali, former areas of French influence, have joined the new insurgent government in Niger, warning that a military intervention would be considered "a declaration of war . " The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken , on an official visit to Australia last Saturday, highlighted "the importance" of Bazoum's leadership, of whom he underlined his role in "promoting security not only in Niger but in the African region." Western » . In addition, Blinken expressed his "serious concern" about the arrest of the Nigerien president and the apparent blockade to restore constitutional order and warned that the captors of the democratically elected leader "threaten years of successful cooperation and millions of dollars of assistance that help to the Nigerien people .
The Russian influence Over the past few years, Russia and China have joined forces to compete for greater influence on the African continent. While Chinese companies offered local governments infrastructure in exchange for advantageous exploitation concessions, the Russians offered their military experience. Russian President Vladimir Putin has seen local conflicts as an opportunity to provide assistance to different armies by providing "instructors." In 2018, the first advisors were presented, consisting of a group of several hundred former Russian military personnel, but who in reality acted as mercenaries hired by Wagner , Yevgeny Prigokhin 's company . In addition to security, Moscow gains sympathy with food on a hungry continent. The head of the Kremlin assured that in the first six months of the year Russia has already exported about 10 million tons of cereals to Africa , while in 2022 that figure stood at 11.5 million. In the next four months between 25,000 and 50,000 tons of grain to six African countries for free. "In the next 3-4 months we will be ready to provide Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic and Eritrea with between 25,000 and 50,000 tons of grain free of charge," Putin said during his presentation at the plenary session of the Forum . Economic and Humanitarian Russia-Africa , held last week in St. Petersburg. Tension in the Elysée French President Emmanuel Macron has emphasized from the Elysée that any attack against France and its interests in Niger is unacceptable. And the ancient metropolis is the main European country in terms of nuclear energy and ranks second worldwide, after the United States. Atomic energy represents more than 64.67% of total electricity production in France, according to data provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) .