WASHINGTON: The World Bank said on Wednesday it was “alarmed” by attempts to overthrow an elected government in Niger, saying that it has stopped payments for all operations there until further notice.
WB Halts Payments for Niger Operations
In a statement, the World Bank said that private sector partnerships “will continue with caution,”. It added that it will “closely monitor the entire situation” after a military coup shook the fragile country.
Earlier, France suspended all development help and budgetary support to Niger after a military coup against ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. In a statement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, France “calls for an immediate return to constitutional order in Niger,” along with the reinstatement of ousted President Bazoum.
The European Union also suspended all sorts of security cooperation with Niger after the military coup in the African country. European Union foreign policy head Josep Borrell also joined Washington and Paris in refusing to recognize the coup leaders and said budgetary aid and security cooperation was suspended indefinitely.
The development comes shortly following Washington declared its “unfaltering support” for deposed president Mohamed Bazoum – seen as a main Western ally in the fight against militants in the country and in the region.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered President Mohamed Bazoum US’s unwavering support, and also warned those detaining the President that “hundreds of millions of dollars of assistance” was at risk, US media reported on Saturday.
The head of the presidential guards General Abdourahmane Tchiani declared himself as the new leader of Niger. The General said economic woes, insecurity, and corruption led him to seize power in the country. Niger’s neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, have both pivoted towards Moscow since their own military coups, BBC reported.
