Following the coup in Niger in July 2023, relations between Nigeria and Niger faced unprecedented problems. But now the two nations have formalized a Security agreement reaffirming their pragmatic cooperation amid regional instability. The agreement covered critical issues and was agreed to by the chiefs of defense of Nigeria and Niger following a critical meeting in Niamey. According to the Nigerian military, the announcement of the defense accord reaffirmed ties between the two nations and mutual commitment to creating a predictable security architecture.
The agreement brought a shift in relations between the two countries marked by sanctions and diplomatic difficulties following the coup. After the coup, Nigeria and Niger have been preoccupied with tight and complicated diplomatic connections. The coup in May 2023 left Niger diplomatically isolated from ECOWAS and the west but Niger, working with Burkina Faso and Mali, created the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which called for a bloc of regional countries outside of ECOWAS hegemony, and to challenge Nigeria’s role as the leader of West Africa.
Border ties as Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso had formed confederation.
Still, the communal and historical ties of the borderlands and regions that connect Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have remained intact long enough for there to be some reflection on this latest security agreement. The agreement, which is a strategic opportunity, demonstrates their understanding that regional security is a collaborative effort that sometimes has to go beyond political divisions. Meanwhile, just weeks after their collective exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger had pushed forward with plans to form a confederation.
Announced by Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the decision had made a structural advancement in the cooperative affairs of the three countries sharing similar political situations as they undertook coup d’état prior to this announcement. The plan for a confederation had been discussed since December 2023 to make this alliance formal, purge West hegemony and become independent. The capacity of the confederation was to formally join the three countries in spheres of political, economic or security realms. Among other forms of cooperation, the abolishment of the CFA franc, a currency linked to French imperial and economic interests, was also discussed between the states.
ECOWAS nearly invades Niger over the coup, installment of junta.
Also, Niger’s coup d’état, which occurred in July 2023, heightened the tensions between the country and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to levels deemed unprecedented and brought the region a step closer to war. ECOWAS, historically a proponent of democratic governance in member states, imposed sanctions on the member state and issued a stern ultimatum to the junta in response to the coup. As the political situation deteriorated in Niger, ECOWAS prepared to engage in a military intervention, indicating that it was prepared to restore civilian rule by any means necessary.
Troops were readied from member states and a deadline was imposed on the junta organization. While anticipation loomed over the region about possible military action, fears arose that such action could involve other neighboring countries that had already experienced their own coup d’état (Mali and Burkina Faso). Such fears show that the region is divided and that was continuing to grow, highlighting the fact that ECOWAS would have to reconvene and reassess options as diplomacy opened up but was itself strained.
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At the same time, Niger’s decision to expel French troops was a major shift in terms of the country’s foreign policy. Niger had long been seen as a key ally of France in the fight against Islamist groups in the Sahel, but this is a proof of widespread dissatisfaction with France’s military presence and overall performance. Niger’s expulsion came on the heels of Mali and Burkina Faso taking the same step. It signaled the beginning of a regional trend to reject foreign military involvement and reclaim national sovereignty. French military forces had been present in Niger as part of Operation Barkhane, which is a larger counterterrorism operation in the Sahel; however, the French presence was increasingly unpopular. The junta’s effort to expel French troops was meant to send a message of state independence from their former colonial power, as anti-French sentiment has been growing stronger regionally.