00:00 The attempt to remove Niger's president has sounded the alarm far afield,
00:04 with Washington calling for rebel soldiers to release Mohamed Bazoum.
00:09 "President Bazoum is still president. He has not resigned. It's also our understanding that
00:16 the foreign minister, wherever reports of the foreign minister indicating that he is
00:21 the head of the government."
00:23 The attempted coup and one of the West's few remaining allies in the Sahel region
00:28 has also been condemned by France, while the Economic Community of West African States
00:33 said international pressure should be maintained to ensure the coup fails.
00:38 "This coup is very unpopular outside of Niger and probably one or two countries.
00:45 You know that is it. And we are counting on the international community to solidarise with
00:52 ECOWAS and to follow ECOWAS in making sure that enough pressure is put on the coup leaders to
01:00 relinquish their hold on power."
01:03 The instability is also worsening an already difficult humanitarian situation
01:08 in a country where the United Nations says 4.3 million people are in need of humanitarian
01:14 assistance.
01:14 "Our colleagues at OCHA are telling us that humanitarian operations are currently
01:20 on hold given the situation. As you know, Niger is also already facing a complex humanitarian
01:28 situation. Violence by armed groups both in the country and its neighbours has increased
01:33 our concerns over civilian protection and has also aggravated food insecurity."
01:38 While Russia has called for President Bazoun to be released,
01:42 Wagner mercenary group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin accused former colonial powers
01:47 of destabilising the region and said Wagner were the only solution.
01:51 A number of pro-Russia demonstrators also appeared in Niger's capital Niamey on Thursday,
01:57 calling for foreign troops stationed in the country to be expelled.
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