Germany Supports EU’s Sanctions Against Niger Coup Leaders

Foreign ministers from the European Union will convene in Toledo, Spain, on August 31 to discuss the political situation in Niger, including potential sanctions.

The European Union, a major aid contributor to Niger, announced the suspension of its security cooperation and financial support previously allocated at EUR 503 million from 2021 to 2024, aimed at governance and educational advancements.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry revealed on X previously known as Twitter that Minister Annalena Baerbock has engaged in dialogues with prominent figures, including African Union Chair Moussa Mahamat and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with a shared aim: “the goal of re-establishing constitutional order” in Niger.

During a visit to Abuja, German development minister Svenja Schulze also met with representatives of the West African bloc ECOWAS, the ministry said.

It added, “After the suspension of development cooperation and security cooperation, we in the EU now want to introduce sanctions against the putschists.”

Niger military officers took over power from democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and have defied calls from the United Nations, ECOWAS, and Western powers to reinstate him, triggering West African heads of state to order the standby force to be assembled.