Niger coup: Is France to blame for instability in West Africa?
BBC NewsAug 06, 2023
On Saturday, Niger's military accused France of amassing soldiers and military resources in West African countries in preparation for "military intervention."
According to the leaders of Niger's coup, France also plans to join forces with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support the effort.
Modern instability in West Africa is primarily down to hundreds of years of European colonialism. While other colonizing nations have largely retracted, France has remained a significant military player in West African countries. The coups that we've witnessed in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Chad, and now Niger with the subsequent ousting of French forces have been due to persistent meddling, the exploitation of West African people and resources, and failed efforts to stop Islamic insurgencies overrunning the land.
France has been supportive of the allyship with Niger. However, Paris will make every effort to protect the French nationalists and assets currently housed within Niger as the dissent grows. Pres. Emmanuel Macron has been clear that any attack against French interests will result in swift and just retaliation. France seeks a peaceful agreement to restore order in Niger and return the democratically elected former president Bazoum to his position leading the Niger people.
There's an 8% chance that ECOWAS will intervene militarily in Niger before October 1, 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.