EU mulls sanctions against Niger junta

Toledo, Spain – Following in the footsteps of the West African regional body ECOWAS, the EU aims to slap the same sanctions on the junta that seized power in Niger several weeks ago, EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed in Toledo, Spain on Wednesday (30 August).

“We will follow, trying to implement the same kinds of sanctions that they have decided,” he told reporters after a meeting of EU defence ministers in Toledo.

ECOWAS and the West African Monetary and Economic Union (UEMOA) have introduced financial sanctions on coup leaders that overthrew the democratically-elected government of President Bazoum in July, who was democratically elected in 2021.

Those included suspending financial transactions and freezing assets, with members of the Presidential Guard responsible for the coup having received travel bans.

Speaking in Toledo, Borrell said he had proposed a new legislative framework to ministers that would allow the EU to impose its own sanctions on the putschists.

“It’s up to ECOWAS to take decisions in order to counter this military coup and we will follow, trying to implement the same kind of sanctions that they have decided,” Borrell said.

“We are moving forward for an autonomous sanctions regime to take actions against the putschists, work has already started and tomorrow the foreign affairs ministers will advance on that,” he added.

Initial work on the new framework started after EU member states expressed support for restrictive measures in early August, Reuters reported at the time.

According to several EU diplomats, the step would be “an expression that the EU is ready to react”, even though it would for the time being remain an empty framework where names can then be added when required.

EU to discuss Niger coup fallout, reassess Sahel region approach

After the recent Niger coup, EU foreign and defence ministers this week are expected to discuss a strategy to deal with the situation and reassess the bloc’s approach to the Sahel region, according to an internal memo seen by EURACTIV.

Niger, often seen as the last bastion of democracy in the Sahel region, became the latest domino in a row of states that have toppled into the hands of military juntas when the coup struck in July.

Asked by reporters whether the EU would consider financing a standby military intervention by ECOWAS, Borrell did not disregard the possibility.

“We are ready to consider any proposition,” he said.

The head of ECOWAS and Niger’s foreign affairs minister will join EU foreign ministers when they meet for talks in Toledo on Thursday (30 August).

EU foreign and defence ministers this week were expected to discuss a strategy to deal with the situation in Niger and reassess the bloc’s approach to the Sahel region, according to an internal memo seen by EURACTIV.

Wider region woes

Talks were overshadowed by news that senior military officials in Gabon had seized power in the central African country in order to overturn the results of recent presidential elections.

Gabon and Niger follow Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Chad as the latest African countries toppled by military coups in recent years.

“It’s clear that the coup in Niger is opening up a new era of instability in a region which is already very fragile,” Borrell said.

EU foreign ministers are also expected to discuss the bloc’s approach towards the wider Sahel region on Thursday.

Situation in Gabon, West Africa 'big issue for Europe', says Borrell

Toledo, Spain – EU defence ministers are expected to discuss the developing military situation in Gabon as well as the bloc’s wider approach to the Sahel, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said on Wednesday (30 August) as the region …

[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]

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