World leaders and regional blocs have condemned a coup attempt against Niger\u2019s President Mohamed Bazoum by members of the presidential guard.<\/p>\n
Niger\u2019s presidency said in a tweet on Wednesday that members of the presidential guard tried to move against Bazoum.<\/p>\n
It said that guards engaged in an \u201canti-Republican demonstration\u201d and tried \u201cin vain\u201d to obtain the support of the other security forces.<\/p>\n
Regional leaders, blocs and the United Nations have condemned the events.<\/p>\n
The African Union and the West African bloc ECOWAS decried what they called an \u201cattempted coup d\u2019etat.\u201d<\/p>\n
UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned \u201cany effort to seize power by force\u201d and urged respect for Niger\u2019s constitution, while the United States expressed deep concern and called for Bazoum to be released.<\/p>\n
France, a former colonial power, and neighbouring Algeria also issued condemnations.<\/p>\n
African Union
\nThe African Union condemned the \u201ccoup attempt\u201d and called on Nigeriens and Africans to \u201cjoin their voices in unanimous condemnation of this coup attempt, and for the immediate and unconditional return of the felon soldiers to their barracks\u201d.<\/p>\n
Algeria
\nNiger\u2019s northern neighbour Algeria issued a statement condemning the continuing events and called for an immediate end to the violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Algerian government is deeply concerned about the situation in the Republic of Niger and strongly condemns the attempted coup taking place there,\u201d the foreign ministry said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The ministry reaffirmed Algeria\u2019s \u201ccategorical rejection of any unconstitutional changes\u201d and urged \u201can immediate end to this unacceptable breach of the constitutional order\u201d.<\/p>\n
Benin
\nBenin\u2019s President Patrice Talon was travelling to Niger on a mediation mission, fellow African leader and Nigeria\u2019s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is going there now, he is on his way,\u201d Tinubu, who is head of the regional West African bloc ECOWAS, said after meeting with Talon in Abuja.<\/p>\n
Economic Community of West African States
\nECOWAS called the actions of the presidential guardsman an effort to unseat Bazoum by force.<\/p>\n
The ECOWAS Commission, which manages the programmes of the 15-nation regional power bloc, said it \u201ccondemns in the strongest terms the attempt to seize power by force and calls on the coup plotters to free the democratically elected president of the republic immediately and without any condition\u201d.<\/p>\n
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who was selected this month as the ECOWAS Commission\u2019s chairman, said the regional bloc\u2019s leadership would resist any attempt to unseat Niger\u2019s government.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be quite clear to all players in the Republic of Niger that the leadership of the ECOWAS region and all lovers of democracy around the world will not tolerate any situation that incapacitates the democratically elected government of the country,\u201d Tinubu said in a statement he issued in Abuja.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will do everything within our powers to ensure democracy is firmly planted, nurtured, well rooted and thrives in our region.\u201d<\/p>\n
European Union
\nThe European Union said it \u201cassociates itself\u201d with the ECOWAS statement and condemned \u201cany attempt to destabilise democracy and threaten the stability\u201d of Niger.<\/p>\n
France
\nFrance said it condemned any attempt to seize power through violence.<\/p>\n
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said Paris was watching the situation carefully, but \u201ccondemned attempts to take power by force\u201d.<\/p>\n
France, she said, joined African Union calls to restore the integrity of democratic institutions.<\/p>\n
An updated travel advisory from the ministry said French citizens, of which there are about 1,200, should remain vigilant and limit their movements in the capital.<\/p>\n
About 1,000 to 1,500 French soldiers are based in Niamey with fighter jets, drones and helicopters also in the country.<\/p>\n
Nigeria
\nTinubu emphasised that ECOWAS will not tolerate any situation that incapacitates the \u201cdemocratically-elected government of the Republic of Niger.\u201d \u2018<\/p>\n
\u201cWe stand firmly with Niger. #NigeriaStandsWithNiger #DemocracyPrevails\u201d he tweeted.<\/p>\n
United Nations
\nUN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also condemned \u201cin strongest terms\u201d any effort to seize power by force in Niger and called on all actors to exercise restraint, his office said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Secretary-General is following closely the situation in Niger. He condemns in the strongest terms any effort to seize power by force and to undermine democratic governance, peace and stability in Niger,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
United Kingdom
\nUnited Kingdom\u2019s junior foreign minister Andrew Mitchell has said that Britain condemns any attempt to undermine stability and democracy in Niger.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UK is closely monitoring events taking place in Niger\u2019s capital. The UK condemns in the strongest possible terms any attempt to undermine stability and democracy in Niger,\u201d Mitchell said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UK joins the African Union and Economic Community of West African States in their calls to end the unacceptable events seen today, and to ensure the full and swift restoration of Niger\u2019s democratically elected institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n
United States
\nThe United States demanded Bazoum\u2019s release and said it was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d with the events unfolding in Niamey.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United States is deeply concerned about today\u2019s developments in Niger,\u201d the White House said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe specifically urge elements of the presidential guard to release President Bazoum from detention and refrain from violence.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
African Union to \u2018resist any attempt to unseat Niger\u2019s government\u2019 as UN says it is monitoring the situation closely.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12963,"featured_media":32598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,15],"tags":[7,26,25],"class_list":{"0":"post-32601","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-politics","9":"tag-apie-project","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-politics"},"yoast_head":"\n