Canada will suspend direct development assistance to the government of Niger in response to the attempted coup d’état in the West African nation, the federal government said on Saturday.
A military junta overthrew Niger's democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum and his government on July 26, the seventh military takeover in less than three years in West and Central Africa.
West African defence chiefs have drawn up a plan for military action if Niger's coup is not overturned by Sunday.
“Canada stands with the international community and expresses its support to the ECOWAS mediation efforts for the return of constitutional order in Niger. The democratically elected government must be reinstated immediately,” Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said in a statement.
The suspension will encompass Canada’s direct budgetary support to the Government of Niger, the statement added.
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023.
15 Comments
Rodney
It’s all about who’s can exploit the gold and uranium. So simple. France won’t leave because they have over 50 NPPs. Wagner will send them packing.
deanzaZZR
Meanwhile, the USA has 1,000+ soldiers based in Niger and has been training the Niger army including its leadership. Hmm....
sunfunbun
The US forces have been there for a decade training Niger forces against terrorism. They are not involved as a fighting unit. This is at present, a diplomatic matter for the USA until a coup confirmation happens.
Rodney
USA also has military contractors who do fight.
Hercolobus
Many use terrorism to occupy and destroy nations.
Kuku
Oops! In 2014, Canada thought quite differently when a coup d'etat happened in Kiev on the Maidan. Yanukovych was also a "democratically elected" president. But for some reason, the entire Western world welcomed that coup.
sunfunbun
Not sure what this means in context to Niger. They aren't there to fight.
The situation right now is the USA is waiting on seeing what happens with the Niger government's actions toward the attempted coup, and it is still an attempt, not a clear cut coup where the military has for certain taken over the country.
It is also relatively peaceful in Niger, the coup is centered around the president's residence, so diplomacy is the first point of action to try and clear things up, without violence.
The USA troops of 1000 are not likely to engage in combat. For international community, democracy in Niger is important, as Canada has shown. USA will cut assistance as well, if the coup is determined to have taken power. It isn't certain, right now.
I still don't know what hmmmm means?
WA4TKG
Seems like a good idea, under the circumstances.
Based
Good. I've usually got nothing good to say about Trudeau and his government, but this is clearly the right call.
And when/if Niger's democratically elected government is reinstated, the aid & assistance should not be restarted.
As a general rule, I'm against giving ongoing financial aid to any country. (I'm not talking about temporary aid when there's a huge natural disaster or something. I'm talking about regular assistance.)
If a country can't stand on its own two feet, if it can't support itself and develop itself without piles of cash from other countries, then maybe it shouldn't be a country. It should accept being absorbed as a colony by a country that can run it properly. If it's so heavily dependent on other nations, then a colony is essentially what it is anyway.
And please don't play the "off topic" card as an excuse to remove this post, mods. Not when you've allowed multiple ramblings about Ukraine that didn't even come close to mentioning Niger.
JJE
The real elephant in the room here for certain quarters is uranium - which powers the French nuclear industry. That is why Macron has reacted like a colonial monster with a hangover and threatened the country.
There are other issues, such as waning French (and western) influence over the former colony, growing Russian and Chinese influence there, across the Sahel and Africa at large, and other resources at stake.
France also has 1500 troops and an airbase there.
ECOWAS (the former ECOMOG) has morphed into an instrument of western manipulation - that is why O Canada lines up with them and notice there is no mention of the amount of aid they actually give.
When the western countries organize an illegal invasion will the people denouncing Russia speak up?
Wesley
Oh noes!
But the millions promised to me by the Nigerian prince......
deanzaZZR
@sunfunbun The point being, had the US taken a more balanced approach with aid being directed at the economy to help the Niger people as well and bolster democratic institutions instead of sending bags of cash to the military it's far less likely to be in the current sad situation. The same story is unfolding across other parts of West Africa.
wallace
Only about 20% of French uranium comes from Niger. It was replaced by Canada and Kazakhstan.
Hello Kitty 321
＠Wesley
Niger and Nigeria are different places so your millions are still safe.
JJE
That may be true but there are mountains of other natural resources.
And never underestimate the jaded nature of a former colonial power and the low levels they will stoop. Macron has the regressive neo-colonialist mentality that the EU shares.
The Garden will intervene in the Jungle in a "humanitarian mission". Hypocrites!