Three years after the coup in Niamey, relations remain strained
Since the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, the military leadership in Niger has maintained a tense relationship with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The regional bloc condemned the coup and imposed sanctions, threatening military intervention if the deposed leader was not reinstated. This ultimatum was interpreted as a declaration of war by neighboring military-led governments in Mali and Burkina Faso, further isolating Niger within ECOWAS.
The three nations later formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), formalizing their break from the bloc. Though their withdrawal from ECOWAS became official in early 2025, both sides continue to engage in dialogue, leaving room for potential reconciliation.
Mediation efforts gain momentum
Recent high-level discussions have signaled cautious progress. Lansana Kouyaté, former Prime Minister of Guinea, has been appointed as the primary negotiator for ECOWAS with the AES. Speaking after a July 2026 meeting in Freetown, regional experts highlight a promising shift in tone.
“The two sides are aligned on the need to address regional security challenges,” notes Pape Ibrahima Kane, an international organizations specialist. “The new ECOWAS Commission President, Birame Diop from Senegal, has been tasked with prioritizing these discussions.”
Economic interdependence as a lever for dialogue
Kane emphasizes Niger’s reliance on Nigeria and Benin—both ECOWAS members—for electricity and access to the port of Cotonou. This dependency could serve as a bridge in negotiations, as Lansana Kouyaté is expected to address both the AES’s demands and ECOWAS’s concerns.
New leadership, new opportunities
The appointment of Bassirou Diomaye Faye as ECOWAS chair and the rise of Romuald Wadagni in Benin have injected fresh momentum into diplomacy. Faye, who visited the AES countries shortly after his election, and Wadagni, who prioritized Niger during his first foreign trip as president, are seen as more pragmatic leaders compared to their predecessors.
“Their approach contrasts with past strategies,” Kane observes. “The new ECOWAS leadership in Abuja is rolling out a less confrontational agenda.”
Civilian rule and regional stability
Critics of the junta, including Sahanine Mahamadou, a former advisor to Mohamed Bazoum, argue that military rule is unsustainable. “If these leaders are truly patriotic, they must pave the way for civilian governance,” he asserts. Mahamadou also points to the European Parliament’s March 2024 resolution condemning Bazoum’s detention, which Niger dismissed as interference.
The fate of Mohamed Bazoum
Jérôme Pigné, founder of the Sahel Strategic Security Network, questions how the European Union can balance its principles with engagement in Niger. “Bazoum’s detention remains a stumbling block, but dialogue is essential,” he notes. A German think tank, the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), suggests the EU could offer military and economic support to stabilize the region, though it warns against expecting behavioral changes from juntas.
