AU suspends Niger Republic over military coup

The African Union has suspended Niger from all of its institutions and activities following the July 26 coup “until the effective restoration of constitutional order.”

The bloc, in a communique issued on Tuesday, explained that the decision to suspend the West African country followed the failure of the military junta to hand over power to the democratically elected President, Mohammed Bazoum.

“The AU decides, in line with the relevant AU instruments, in particular, the AU Constitutive Act, the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, to immediately suspend the participation of the Republic of Niger from all activities of the AU and its Organs and institutions until the effective restoration of constitutional order in the country,” the communique partly read.

The AU in this regard, called upon all member states of the union and the international community including bilateral and multilateral partners, at large to reject the unconstitutional change of government and to refrain from any action likely to grant legitimacy to what it termed “the illegal regime” in Niger.

The union, headquartered in Ethiopia and consisting of 55 member states, also commended the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its efforts to ensure a return to democratic rule in Niger.

“The AU commends the efforts of ECOWAS under the leadership of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and calls on AU Member States to fully implement the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS and endorsed by the PSC and requests the Commission, in consultation with ECOWAS, to regularly inform the Council on the progress being made on the implementation of the imposed sanctions,” it stated.