French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday he was prepared to back sanctions against the perpetrators of a 'dangerous' coup in Niger, after his foreign minister said the power grab did not appear to be definitive.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna addresses the U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in Ukraine, at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., July 17, 2023.
It has around 1,500 soldiers in the country who support the local military, having redefined its strategy after thousands withdrew from neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso following coups there. "This coup d'etat is completely illegitimate, extremely dangerous for Nigeriens, for Niger and the entire region," Macron told a news conference in Papua New Guinea.on Thursday, and Macron said he would support West African regional bloc ECOWAS should it decide to impose sanctions on those behind it.
"If you hear me say attempted coup d'etat, it's because we don't consider that things are definitive," Foreign MinisterMacron said he had spoken to Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, who is being held in his palace, and called for him to be reinstated.
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