French officials have announced that France will no longer send development aid to Burkina Faso after the West African country backed the ongoing military coup in Niger.
In a statement published late on August 6, Paris confirmed that “until further notice all its development aid and budget support actions” for the nation are being suspended.
According to a report by Le Figaro, the total value of French development aid projects in Burkina Faso had been valued at around €482 million, with €13 million being sent from France to the country in 2022 alone.
Led by Abdourahamane Tiani, the armed group overthrew Niger’s democratically elected government in late July. The group is currently thought to be holding President Mohamed Bazoum hostage.
While the coalition of African nations representing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has threatened to militarily intervene to end the rebellion if Bazoum is not returned to power, some countries in the region have opposed such a move.
Burkina Faso and Mali – two nations also controlled by military juntas – have been the most vocally opposed to military intervention, threatening that any invasion would be seen as “a declaration of war” against both of those countries as well.
The two states have since sent a delegation to Niger in order to express “solidarity” with with the new regime.
Tiani’s provisional military government has refused to give control of Niger back to the civilian government, with an ECOWAS ultimatum demanding Bazoum’s release and return to power lapsing on August 6.
Instead, the junta has shut down the country’s airspace, citing the “possibility of invasion” as the reason.
Officials in the new regime have said that any unauthorised attempt to fly over the country would be me with an “immediate response”.
Emos Lungu, a spokesman for ECOWAS, announced that the coalition will meet in Nigeria on August 10 to discuss further action.
