Niger coup leaders warn against military intervention as west African leaders set to meet
GuardianAug 02, 2023
The Facts
The US on Wednesday announced that it was ordering the temporary evacuation of all non-emergency government employees from its embassy in the Nigerien capital, Niamey, amid the fragile political situation following last week's coup.
Without specifying when the evacuation will begin, the State Department said the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution," adding that the diplomatic mission will remain open to provide emergency assistance to US citizens in the West African country.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The fact that the US is now evacuating its embassy staff is yet another symbol that the era of Western neocolonialism is coming to an end in West Africa as a result of the coups in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and now Niger. All over the Sahel, people are tired of the West talking about democracy and fighting terrorism while it's primarily interested in the exploitation of resources such as gold and uranium. It's time for Africa to free itself from the structures of economic exploitation and the military presence of France and the US.
Pro-establishment narrative
The evacuation of US and European citizens from Niger is a tragic development for the West African country, which was considered the West's last remaining major partner in the fight against Islamist extremists in the Sahel. While the US and French militaries are in Niger fighting terrorism, Washington has supported Niamey with hundreds of millions of US dollars in military assistance. Now Niger risks selling out to Russia and its Wagner mercenaries, and the coup will contribute to instability and insecurity in the region.
