| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa North |
| There will be no intervention: Russia helped Niger |
| 2023-08-03 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Petr Akopov [RIA] The situation around Niger is developing so unusually that it becomes clear that the old world order is changing right before our eyes. Less than a week has passed since the coup, but many countries have already become involved in the situation around one of the poorest countries in the world and the world record holder in terms of fertility (that is, large families - the total birth rate in Niger is seven). But after last Thursday the presidential guard overthrew President Mohamed Bazum , and its commander Abdurahman Tchiani proclaimed himself president of the National Council for the Defense of the Motherland, it seemed that everything would develop according to the usual scheme for the region (fortunately, this is already the seventh coup in this part Africaover the past three years): neighbors and regional organizations will condemn the military who have taken power, will call on them to return the legally elected president to power, the West will do the same, and Russia will at least verbally call for the restoration of the former power. Well, the West, of course, will also be alarmed by the possibility of losing an ally and the appearance of Russian military experts in Niger. That's how it was in the early days. The United States and France angrily condemned the coup, there was even talk of French military intervention (there are both American and French military bases in the country), the regional organization Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) threatened Niamey with large-scale sanctions and the use of force if the putschists Bazum will not be released within a week. That is, two threats of military intervention in a country of 25 million were voiced (albeit unofficially in the French case). But since the beginning of this week, things have changed. French Foreign Minister said that Paris is not planning military intervention. Then the authorities of Mali and Burkina Faso (neighbors of Niger) issued a statement that they would consider any military intervention in the internal affairs of Niger a declaration of war against them. And the Guinean authorities said: it is necessary to refrain from the use of sanctions and military intervention - they will not solve the problem, but they can lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, the consequences of which could go beyond the borders of Niger. What is going on? The fact is that ECOWAS unites 15 countries of West Africa , including eight former French colonies. But participation in the organization of three of them was suspended due to military coups - and these are precisely the same Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, which stood up for Niger. That is, the four members of the association are already out of step, which calls into question the very existence of ECOWAS. Of course, no intervention in Niger was planned - they simply decided to frighten the new authorities in Niamey. Only the regional giant Nigeria is suitable for the entry of military contingents from all ECOWAS countries, but she is definitely not going to forcefully restore order from her northern neighbor. And even more so, African countries do not want to drag chestnuts out of the fire for the West - not only because of hostility towards the former colonialists, but also because it was France and the United States that brewed all the mess that the region is now clearing up. Yes, there have been coups before, as well as civil wars, but it was after the Western intervention in Libya in 2011 that the problems in this part of the Sahara , including in Mali and Niger, greatly escalated. By eliminating the pan-Africanist Gaddafi, the West played into the hands of the separatist and jihadist forces in the region - and everyone in West Africa understands this. The West did not like the pan-African plans of the Libyan leader, which could potentially interfere with the control of the region, but in return, Paris and Washington received only increased chaos and unrest, which hit their positions as well. And besides, Russia appeared in the region. First in the Central African Republic, then in Mali and Burkina Faso, and now, as the West fears, the Russians must also be expected in Niger. A country where our positions were minimal - even the embassy was closed in the 90s. And now, at a demonstration near the French embassy in Niamey, they were waving Russian flags and demanding a Wagner. In our social networks, they even began to write that the new leader of the country, General Tchiani, at one time (either in the 80s, or in the 10s) converted to Orthodoxy, but this is an outright lie, and also aimed at discrediting Russia in Niger (a Muslim country ). The point is not the religion of Tchiani, but the fact that neighboring Mali and Burkina, whose leaders have just returned from Russia, stood up for him. That is, the new Nigerian authorities will see that several countries in the region, after having strengthened their ties with the Russians, have gained a loud voice and the ability to defend their interests, despite Western pressure, and this in itself will be the best advertisement for Russia in Niger. And our interests there are not only in expanding influence on another African country and not only in uranium (which is important for France), but also in those pan-African projects that are connected with Niger. First of all, we are talking about the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline - a project that has been trying to be implemented for a decade and a half. The 4,500 kilometer pipeline is to deliver gas from the Gulf of Guinea to the Mediterranean Sea, that is, from Africa to Europe . This project became relevant again after Europe's divorce from Russia - the Europeans are looking for a replacement for Russian gas. And last summer, they decided to resume work on the trans-Saharan project. It passes through only three countries: Nigeria, Niger and Algeria., and the latter is an old and very close partner of Russia, and an equally consistent opponent of French influence south of its borders. And it must happen that yesterday in Moscow Sergei Shoigu held talks with the chief of staff of the National People's Army of Algeria Said Shangrikha. Although this visit was only announced the day before, on Monday, it is, of course, unrelated to the events in Niger. But General Shangriha is the second person in Algeria, a country where the army plays a huge role, a country for which gas exports are of great importance. So a window of opportunity opens up for Niger - thanks to the presence of several neighboring countries at once that have staked on Russia, General Tchiani can really lead his country out of French captivity. And he will not even need to change Mohammedanism to Orthodoxy for this. |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #1 Silence from Lindsey Graham. His “constituents” must not be invested in yellow cake. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2023-08-03 13:36 |