A rebellion against Francafrique — Niger
Niger, a French-speaking country located in the Sahel region of West Africa, has been in the headlines for the past year. On July 26, 2023, a coup d’état occurred in the capital, Niamey, overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum. The military junta declared that security issues and poor governance were contributing factors to the coup. Similar to other countries in the region, Niger’s twenty-five million people face a jihadist issue that has plagued the area for several years. In this article, we will explore the history of Niger along with its current-day implications to develop a comprehensive understanding of the country.
The Hausa make up around 50% of the country’s population, followed by other ethnic tribes like the Zarma, Tuareg, and Fulani people. Tribal groups in Africa can be found in various countries due to centuries of migration. Several empires have had territorial claims over what is now the present state of Niger. The Mali Empire had territory in the southwest region bordering Mali and Burkina Faso and was instrumental in spreading Islam in the region, which remains the major religion of the country. The Songhai Empire also held a claim in the area and was under the Mali Empire’s conquest for some time. In the eastern region near Lake Chad, the Kanem-Bornu Empire held a Saharan trade that helped the empire become strong, and Islam also grew in the region due to trade. In the southern part of the border with Nigeria lies Hausaland. The French held direct colonial rule over the country from 1900 until August 3, 1960, when Niger gained independence as an autonomous country.
At the end of World War II, colonial empires in Europe were forced to relinquish their overseas territories. Charles De Gaulle, the French president at the time, devised a plan called Francafrique to maintain French influence indirectly. The CFA Franc currency would be established in fourteen West African countries, requiring 50% of their reserves to be deposited in the French treasury. Western influence in elections would continue as these powers had economic interests in Niger. It should be noted that Niger has the 7th largest uranium deposits in the world. France, on the other hand, gets about 70% of its energy from nuclear power, with about 56 nuclear reactors in the country and more being built. Niger itself accounts for 20% of France’s nuclear supply. The deputy secretary of state, Victoria Nuland, was sent to Niger to speak with the military junta, highlighting the strategic importance of Niger. This will help us analyze the current-day implications in the country.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a union of fifteen African states in West Africa. The four member states of Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are currently suspended following a wave of coups d’état in these countries. Following the coup, ECOWAS threatened military intervention if the former president was not returned to power. This caused a domino effect where the countries of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali formed the Alliance of Sahel States (ASS). ECOWAS de-escalated from direct military intervention and imposed sanctions on Niger. The ASS countries then decided to leave ECOWAS, which resulted in the lifting of sanctions. Western influences such as the United States and the European Union could not risk direct intervention, so ECOWAS was pressured into acting as a security force in the region. However, we must ask ourselves, are the people of Niger not free to lead their own destinies? It has been shown that these coups d’état have popular support in the region. We must also question why Western powers seem so concerned with maintaining “democracy.” Considering the strategic and economic importance of the country, one would find that hard to believe. Niger is currently in the process of establishing its national sovereignty and should be allowed to do so free of interference.
