Africa

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger at the forefront of the African Revolution

Niamey, Niger, August 19, 2023: Thousands of young people queue to register to volunteer to defend their country as part of a volunteer initiative. General Abdourahmane Tchiani, head of the Presidential Guards Unit, has repeatedly warned ECOWAS and unnamed Western nations against stepping in. “We once again reiterate to ECOWAS …

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Where Next for Wagner Group in Africa?

Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny was quashed in one day inside Russia, but the implications for Africa are unclear. As African leaders make their way back from the Russia–Africa Summit in St Petersburg, will we get hints about the company’s future on the continent and how should others respond? On 27 July …

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Tchiani is not Niger’s Sankara: The military coup won’t bring revolutionary change to the people

Whilst some may cheer on the anti-France feelings seen in protests in Niger, the military coup is unlikely to provide the people with relief from the current poverty, let alone put the country on a democratic path, argues Yasser Louati. The ongoing coup in Niger has meant that the relatively …

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Libya captures Islamic State leader behind 2018 capital bombing

The Islamic State has exploited the chaos in Libya to extend its influence. Libyan authorities have arrested an Islamic State leader suspected of having planned three deadly attacks in Libya’s capital in 2018, the UN-backed government announced on Thursday. The head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, Abdel Hamid …

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Niger, le pustch de trop pour la France ?

Après le Mali, le Burkina Faso et le Niger, la France est-elle en passe d’être chassée du Sahel ? Quelle est sa stratégie pour ne pas perdre le dernier pays où elle a repositionné ses troupes ? Parviendra t’elle à convaincre la CEDEAO de frapper les putschistes de Niamey ? …

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Niger Shakes Off Neo-Colonialism – Analysis

The July 26 coup in the West African nation of Niger, a former French colony, has succeeded in the impossible: pushing Ukraine off the lips of Western leaders and off the front pages of the Western global press. Coup leader Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, 63, declared the French military defence agreements …

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Au Niger, la France lâchée par ses alliés

La crise au Niger rythme l’actualité de l’été 2023. En remettant l’intervention militaire à l’ordre du jour, alors qu’elle semblait s’éloigner, le sommet de la CEDEAO du 10 août à Abuja a été un des temps forts. En réalité, en soulignant dans son communiqué «sa détermination à maintenir ouvertes toutes …

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Niger: A Coup Against French Control And Dominance

The situation in Niger is still in flux. On 26 July 2023 a military coup took place in that West African state that led to the ouster of its elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, by Brigadier General Abdourahmane Tchiani. The Brigadier General has proclaimed that he is the new president of …

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The Great Game In The Sahel

It was the very first visit by an American Secretary of State to Niger, only five months ago. Secretary Antony Blinken’s list of praise for Niger’s government was long and sought to portray it as a model partner. Not surprising, Russia and the Wagner private military company were also on …

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The Attempted Coup in Niger: Avoiding Armed Conflict

On 26 July, high-ranking Nigerien officers announced on national television that they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021. In this Q&A, Crisis Group analysts lay out the reasons for the coup as well as the stakes going forward. What happened in Niger on 26 July? …

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