International NGOs working in Niger have called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ease its sanctions against Niamey to allow emergency humanitarian aid to enter the country from neighboring Benin. This plea comes as over 4.3 million people in Niger urgently need assistance.
Despite the critical situation, the border between Benin and Niger remains closed due to regional sanctions imposed by ECOWAS following a coup in Niger on July 26. The sanctions have been maintained by ECOWAS, which has linked their easing to a “short transition” in Niger. The NGOs, including Acted, Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Médecins du Monde, have expressed disappointment over the lack of humanitarian exemptions to these sanctions.
Ousmane Drabo, the NRC regional spokesperson, emphasized the need for ECOWAS heads of state to expressly state that there are humanitarian exemptions to the sanctions. However, Omar Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, noted that while access to medical and humanitarian goods has been provided, the military authorities in Niger are refusing to use it.
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone (left); President, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray; Chairman, ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government/Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu; Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo and others during their 64th Ordinary Session at the State House, Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: PHILIPS OJISUA
The situation is dire, as more than 2 million people in Niger faced food insecurity between October and December 2023, leading to 15% of the population being displaced due to a lack of food or assistance. The NGOs are urging for immediate action to reopen the border and allow the flow of humanitarian aid into Niger, emphasizing that the absence of humanitarian exemptions is seriously compromising access to vital medical assistance, food, and other essential needs for Niger’s most vulnerable populations.
This urgent call is not just about easing movement across borders but also about ensuring that sanctions do not impede the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to millions of people in desperate need. The NGOs are committed to working in challenging environments but require certainty and support to continue their vital work effectively.
