Burkina Faso and Mali warn against intervention in Niger; say it would be a ‘declaration of war’

Burkina Faso and Mali have warned that any intervention in neighbouring Niger would be considered a “declaration of war” against their two countries, a signal of support for leaders of the recent coup there.

They’ve also threatened to withdraw their ECOWAS membership and rise up in support of Niger’s military government should the West African bloc invade the country. 

The two countries where soldiers had recently ceased power expressed their support for the military takeover of power in Niger earlier this month in a joint statement on Monday, vowing to “lend a hand to the people of Niger” to fight invaders. Berating ECOWAS and its leaders, Mali and Burkina Faso accused ECOWAS of hypocrisy. 

“The Transitional Governments of Burkina Faso and Mali are deeply indignant and surprised by the imbalance observed between, on the one hand, the celerity and the adventurous attitude of certain political leaders in West Africa wishing to use force armed forces to restore constitutional order in a sovereign country, and on the other hand, the inaction, indifference and passive complicity of these organizations and political leaders in helping States and peoples who have been victims of terrorism for a decade and left to their fate,” the statement added. 

It followed the weekend’s decision of ECOWAS to leave military options open for Niger should the coup plotters fail to relinquish power to democratically-elected President Mohamed Bazoum and return to their barracks. ECOWAS also threatened to block all trades, including banking and utility supply, with Niger, as well as blockade the country’s airspace.