'If France Loses Niger, It Loses Everything,' Vice-president of Nigerien NGO Says
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France is trying at all costs to preserve its influence in Niger to keep its place among the greatest economic powers. To this end, it manipulates ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) to trigger a military intervention in the country, Elhadji Idi Abdou, vice-president of the Alliance for Peace and Security in Niger, said.
Keeping Niger in the sphere of its influence is a vital issue for Paris. The departure of France from Niger will reject it from the 7th to the 30th place in the world among the largest economies, Elhadji Idi Abdou, vice-president of the non–profit organization Alliance for Peace and Security in Niger (APAISE-NIGER), told Sputnik.
"France, if it mobilizes ECOWAS, if it mobilizes everything that it can mobilize to destroy Niger, it is because it does not intend to leave Niger. If France leaves Niger, it has completely lost, and suddenly we must look for it in the 30th place with regard to the economic powers. Today, France is the 7th [...]. If the country loses Niger, it is losing everything. It is a struggle for survival, that is why it has included the issue of Niger on the agenda of a defense and national security council in France," said Abdou.
The official told the media that the international community, led by the UN Security Council, must be questioned to "see what France is doing", "that it is settling in Niger by force and does not intend to leave".
"France was told to leave, the agreement that binds it to Niger was broken. But because France has a military superiority, because it has a veto, the country does not want to leave Niger and here is the reality that is happening, it is the law of the jungle," the Nigerian activist lamented.
'Manipulated by France'
According to Abdou, the entry of ECOWAS troops, manipulated by France, would be illegal.
"A military intervention that is already illegal because there is no document from ECOWAS or UEMAO [West African Economic and Monetary Union] that specifies it or prescribes it. Suddenly it is from illegality to illegality and now everyone has understood that France is manipulating ECOWAS," the official said.
On Sunday, the ultimatum established to the new Nigerien powers by ECOWAS demanding to return the Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum overthrown on July 26 ended. If necessary, the regional organization had threatened to launch a military operation against the self-proclaimed authorities. On Tuesday, the representative of the Nigerian President, who currently heads ECOWAS, declared that the community opts for a diplomatic solution but does not exclude other outcomes.
