Two of Niger’s Neighbors Say Military Action to Reverse Coup Would Mean ‘War’ |
Burkina Faso and Mali, both ruled by military governments, warned yesterday that they would view (NYT) any military intervention to reverse Niger’s days-old coup as a “declaration of war,” sparking fears of a larger regional conflict in West Africa. The statement rebuked the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) condemnation on Sunday of the coup and its threat to respond to the situation with force. Meanwhile, coup leaders arrested several senior members (WSJ) of the detained president’s party.
The U.S. State Department said yesterday that it did not believe the coup had yet been fully successful, and that there was a narrow opportunity (Reuters) to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. France and Italy said today that they would begin evacuating their citizens from Niger. Nearby Guinea, which is also military-ruled, said it would not join sanctions against Niger.
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“The army takeover of power in neighboring Niger is an opportunity for the Nigerian leader [Bola Tinubu] to back up his pro-democracy and antimilitary rhetoric with action,” CFR’s Ebenezer Obadare writes for the Africa in Transition blog. “While the immediate aim should be the removal of General Tchiani and the restoration of President Bazoum, the long-term aim should be to send a message that this is the last coup d’état in West Africa.”
“[Western and African partner countries] need to broaden our focus far beyond what has been the pattern of mainly providing security help—whether training, weapons or advice—and help countries get to the root causes, the unmet needs or unresolved conflicts that are driving the insurgencies or extremisms,” the United States Institute of Peace’s Kamissa Camara writes.
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Chinese Export Controls on Gallium, Germanium Products Take Effect |
Companies seeking to export eight products related to the two metals, which are used in semiconductors, are required to apply for special licenses (Reuters) beginning today on national security grounds, according to China’s commerce ministry. International prices for the metals have risen since China announced the restrictions last month, and traders expect supply to fall over the next two months as the new controls take effect.
China: Beijing appointed two new leaders (SCMP) to its nuclear force after several former officials were placed under investigation by an anti-corruption unit.
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Myanmar Junta Reduces Suu Kyi’s Sentence, Delays Elections |
The military government pardoned some sentences (Nikkei) for pro-democracy civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, reducing her detention time from thirty-three to twenty-seven years, and granted clemency to more than seven thousand prisoners. It also extended the national state of emergency for a fourth time, further prolonging elections to an unspecified future date.
Afghanistan: During a meeting in Qatar, U.S. envoys told Taliban officials that they were open to having technical talks (Reuters) on economic stabilization and anti-narcotics cooperation in Afghanistan. They also vocalized concerns about human rights and called on the Taliban to reverse its ban on girls’ education and womens’ employment, and to release detained Americans.
This Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland unpacks the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. |
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Middle East and North Africa |
Emirati State Energy Firm Announces Earlier Net Zero Target |
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), whose CEO, Sultan al-Jaber, will chair this year’s UN climate summit, announced that it will accelerate its net zero target (FT) from 2050 to 2045, although the target does not cover a critical component of the emissions burned using its fossil fuels. Critics are wary of al-Jaber’s role as the climate summit’s chair as ADNOC is one of the biggest oil producers in the world.
Israel/Saudi Arabia: Israel is not opposed (Al-Monitor) to allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium for research purposes, the country’s national security advisor said. Israel’s openness to this activity is part of a potential U.S.-mediated normalization deal that would allow Saudi Arabia to create a civil nuclear program.
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Senegalese Government Dissolves Opposition Party |
Former Prime Minister Aminata Touré called the dissolution an “unprecedented setback” (AP) in Senegal’s democratic history, and critics say the decision threatens next year’s election. Ousmane Sonko, president of the opposition party, said a judge had ordered his arrest over the weekend on charges including conspiracy and calling for insurrection. |
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UK Will Auction Off More Than One Hundred New Drilling Permits |
The United Kingdom (UK) energy minister said the government plans to “max out” (Guardian) the country’s oil and gas reserves by expanding drilling efforts in the North Sea. Climate experts have condemned the move, saying this would “send a wrecking ball” through the UK’s climate commitments.
U.S./Hungary: The United States plans to limit the travel permissions given to Hungarian citizens to a single entry per authorized applicant due to security concerns after more than one million travelers with Hungarian passports over nine years were not sufficiently verified, an unnamed senior U.S. official told the Associated Press.
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U.S., Ecuador to Author UN Resolution on Kenya-Led Force in Haiti |
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White House Review Calls for Changes of FBI Authority Under Surveillance Law |
In the review, the White House called for the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but recommended the removal of permissions (Reuters) for the FBI to use it for queries unrelated to national security. The report says the FBI used the authority to arrest people outside of the U.S. Capitol during the riot on January 6, 2021, even though the measure is intended for foreign intelligence use.
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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