Lately, following a series of meetings in Abuja, Nigeria, the regional leaders have called for the deployment and "activation" of a "standby" military force, though they still insist such action would be a "last resort." Niger joins Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso in a growing list of countries in West Africa - and the Sahel region - that are under military rule lately. Niger - like many other countries around Africa - hosts Western countries' military bases, including those of the US and France - the nation's former colonial master. Important allyUnder President Bazoum, Niger was an important ally of the West, and partly played host to American and European forces fighting jihadists in the region. Military intervention to reinstate "the democratically elected government" of President Bazoum could aggravate the situation - likely lead to a civil war and, worse, a regional conflictual ferment.

Source: Daily Nation August 15, 2023 08:33 UTC