The Prime Minister of St. Vincent, Ralph Gonsalves, says his government will not endorse any form of military intervention in Niger. He has further urged the United States and France to cease any action that may contribute to escalating conflict in this West African country.
The announcement of the coup of Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was made by the country’s highest military officials on Wednesday, July 26, and was broadcasted on national television.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued a deadline to the military personnel responsible for the overthrow of Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. The deadline required the release and reinstatement of President Bazoum, with the threat of military intervention in case of non-compliance.
“The position of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is that we are not supportive of any military intervention in Niger. There has to be a diplomatic discussion with the regime in Niger”.
“I mean, you have a bloodless coup in Niger. I’m not supporting coups, but if you have a bloodless coup in Niger, How could you want to put down the government with blood?”.
According to analysts, it has been seen that no military intervention has been initiated, and the individuals who orchestrated the coup seem to have achieved a position of advantage over the regional organization that made the aforementioned threat.
“I don’t want to get into any controversy with our brothers and sisters in ECOWAS. But I’m urging that we have dialogue and proper diplomatic work with patience and calm”.
The Caribbean prime minister, on Sunday, issued a plea to both the United States and France, urging them to refrain from exacerbating the potential for armed conflict. France supports the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reverse the military coup in Niger.
“France and the United States must stop it In relation to this behind-the-scenes drumbeat for war”, Gonsalves said.
On the 11th of August, ECOWAS announced that its military commanders had reached a consensus on a potential intervention strategy in Niger.
“All the elements that will go into any eventual intervention have been worked out,” ECOWAS Commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah said.
A potential shift in political leadership in Niger may have significant implications for Western nations, particularly France and the United States, given their substantial connections with the West African country.
Niger holds strategic significance in the battle against Islamist terrorism for both Paris and Washington. Regarded as a prominent and dependable ally of the United States in countering the threats posed by al Qaeda, Islamic State, and Boko Haram, this Sahel nation stands out as one of the few that has not yet intensified its collaboration with Russia, thereby potentially disadvantaging Western interests.
According to a report by Le Monde, the Niger coup does not exhibit clear indications of Moscow’s involvement, as the primary driving forces behind this event appear to be internal factors.
On Thursday, July 27, the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company under the leadership of Yevgeny Prigozhin, which operates in Africa, asserted responsibility for the coup.
The coup leaders in Niger have expressed their willingness to engage in diplomatic negotiations in order to address the ongoing dispute with the regional bloc of West Africa. This statement was made by a delegation of leading Nigerian Islamic scholars during their meeting with the junta in Niamey on Sunday. The meeting took place between a delegation of religious leaders from Nigeria and the junta-appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine on Saturday. This meeting occurred in the context of ongoing endeavors aimed at resolving the conflict.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) was the smallest nation to assume the role of a non-Permanent Member of the Security Council for the period of 2020-2021. Additionally, it currently holds the position of Pro Tempore President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).