Niger’s military junta ended military cooperation accords with the European Union, dealing a blow to Brussels’ efforts against Islamist insurgents in West Africa’s Sahel region. According to the details, Nigar will no longer be a part of the European Union Capacity Building Mission (EUCAP), and the Nigerien military will no further take part in an EU-led training mission to reinforce security capacity in the Sahel state. Meanwhile, Niger’s military leaders also exited an agreement worth €1.7 billion ($1.84 billion) to contain migration from Africa to Europe.
Niger a Western African nation is currently ruled by a military junta following a July coup that ousted the country’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who is currently under detention. Before the military coup, Niger had been the West and Europe’s major security partner in the Sahel. But since the army seized power, tensions have been growing between Niger and its former allies. Historically, the violence-hit Western African Sahel and Sub-Saharan regions have been embattled with serious security challenges from armed extremist groups over the past decades. Regional militaries are incapable of defeating armed rebels and controlling violence in all African states including Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Central Africa, and others yet Military Generals are well-versed in weighing war against democracy and ousting democratically elected leaders from power. A majority of the African nations struck security deals with the European Union and France, the former colonial power in Africa for capacity building and Counterterrorism cooperation to defeat the menace of terrorism in their countries. Previously, about 1500 French Special Forces were stationed in Nigar while 120 Europeans are permanently deployed in Niger under the EUCAP mission.
Interestingly, European Nations are pro-democracy and enjoy good relations with publically elected governments in South Africa. Whereas a majority of EU nations not only condemned the repeated military coups in African countries but snubbed military leaders for their unlawful acts and treason. Therefore, the military junta in Niger and other Sahel states are very apprehensive about Europe and abruptly sever ties and cooperation with the European Union disregarding the security needs and well-being of their nations. Apparently, African leaders have no such grief for their nations, as they care for their self-service and extension in their rule otherwise no nation saviour ever refused to free rounds and unpaid army for the protection of his countrymen against contemporary challenges.
