Politics

After ECOWAS announced its decision to deploy a “standby force” in Niger, Russia announced that it opposed any military intervention in that country. The announcement comes after several countries around the world, including the UK, France and the US, said they supported any move by the West African regional bloc, …

West African army chiefs will meet in the coming days to prepare plans for a possible military intervention in Niger, ECOWAS spokesperson said on Friday. The ECOWAS bloc ordered the activation of a standby force on Thursday, two weeks after army ousted Mohamed Bazoum. The chiefs of staff meeting indicates …

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on Friday expressed serious concern about the deterioration of the conditions of detention of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum. Mr. Faki Mahamat describes as “unacceptable” the treatment of Mohamed Bazoum by the military authorities who overthrew him. In the same statement, …

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States supports ECOWAS’ determination to explore all options for the peaceful resolution of the coup in Niger. The statement comes after the regional bloc approved a “standby” military force. He said the US would hold the Niger junta accountable for the …

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday told Zimbabweans that they would be lost if they failed to re-elect him, in a clarion call for them to vote for him in the upcoming election. Mr Mnangagwa also told his supporters that they would suffer if they voted for the opposition, whom …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ordered on August 10 the deployment of the organization’s “standby force” to restore constitutional order in Niger, without immediately specifying the form and the role of this deployment. The President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu, who holds the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, stressed …

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday he was “concerned” about the conditions of detention of ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, and demanded his release. “Antonio Guterres denounced the deplorable conditions in which President Bazoum and his family would live,” the UN said in a statement. According to the …

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has accused the World Bank of seeking “to coerce” the government over its anti-LGBT legislation. It follows the announcement by the lender that it was suspending any new loans to Uganda on the grounds that the law against same-sex relations contradicts its values. But in a …

The Kenyan government has started talks with the opposition to try to resolve a political row following a series of violent protests over the high cost of living and calls for electoral reforms. Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has organised a series of demonstrations in recent months. Officials say at …

Niger’s coup leaders on Wednesday accused France of violating the closure of Niger’s airspace and “liberating the terrorists”, which they say constitutes a real plan to destabilize Niger. “French forces took off on Wednesday from N’Djamena, Chad, a military plane at 6:01 a.m. local time,” said a statement from the …