The military regime that emerged from a coup in Niger asked Togo on Monday, November 6, to act as a mediator in its negotiations with the international community, particularly with the West African countries that sanctioned it in the summer. Nigerian Defense Minister General Salifou Moby met with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé in the Togolese capital Lomé during the day.
After the July 26 coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed tough financial sanctions on Niger to pressure the military that toppled elected President Mohamed Bazoum to restore power. constitutional order.
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General Mody condemned these “cynical” sanctions and thanked Togo for continuing to talk to the military regime after the coup, unlike many other countries. Although Togo is a member of ECOWAS, it has undertaken several bilateral initiatives to engage in dialogue with the Nigerian military regime.
“We have never closed our country to our friends. (…) Niger remains open, although arrangements have been made so that we can no longer speak to them,” General Mody told the press after his meeting with President Gnassingbé. “We have asked the President of the Republic of Togo to act as a mediator to facilitate this dialogue with our various partners,” he added.
Withdrawal of French forces
France, Niger’s former colonial power, entered into a stalemate with the military regime after the coup and then began withdrawing its approximately 1,500 soldiers stationed in the country in October at its request.
“We ask Togo, our brother country, to be our guarantor in view of what it continues to give us” within the framework of the agreement on the French military withdrawal, which is “progressing” and proceeding “normally,” added General Mody.
For his part, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated during a press conference that his country was ready to help “as a mediator” in the dialogue between Niger and the international community and thanked General Mody “who was named alongside Niger.” United States of America, Togo as a guarantor country for the withdrawal of French forces”.
Read also: Togo: How Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé maintains its status as a regional mediator
The ruling junta in Niamey has rejected calls from ECOWAS to restore constitutional order and insists on the need for a transition period of a maximum of three years as the country faces two jihadist insurgencies in the south, east and west.
Togo regularly tries to position itself as a mediator in the region. In 2022, he notably participated in efforts to free 49 Ivorian soldiers held captive in Bamako, Mali, after being accused of being mercenaries.