The US and Niger

The U.S. government is working to restore the deposed president of Niger to his democratically-elected position, according to the State Department. President Mohamed Bazoum is currently a hostage in Niamey, Niger’s capital city.

What should the US do? Call the coup a coup.

According to The Hill, Congressional legislation stipulates that if a duly elected foreign government is overthrown by a military coup, most foreign assistance is immediately suspended. This step for economic sanctions occurs automatically when the U.S. presidential administration states that a “coup” has taken place.

This happened after the 2021 coup in Myanmar. The Biden administration declared that a coup had occurred, and economic and military sanctions were immediately imposed against Myanmar’s military junta.

The dangers of not calling a coup a “coup” can be severe. The Hill reports, “Nearly half the coups over the last decade have not been officially designated as such by U.S. administrations. Without this declaration, coup regimes may be emboldened.”

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Are you interested in learning more about this conflict? World Without Genocide will host a webinar Niger’s Coup – China, Russia, Climate, and Nukes on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm CT. More information and registration: https://worldwithoutgenocide.org/programs/upcoming-events/9-27-2023-nigers-coup-china-russia-climate-and-nukes