Africans Rising for Unity, Justice, Peace & Dignity has strongly condemned the recent Niger coup.
According to the group, the actions taken by the country’s military to seize political power and suspend the constitution are not the way to go.
In a statement dated August 1, 2023, the group called for a peaceful resolution to the current stalemate, urging military officers to relinquish control and restore civilian rule.
“We call on the military officers to allow a peaceful resolution to the stalemate, return the country to civilian rule and restore constitutional order in Niger.”
To address the crisis constructively, Africans Rising made a passionate appeal to international and regional bodies, such as ECOWAS and the African Union, to initiate meaningful engagement with all relevant stakeholders to ensure peace and stability. While the group disagrees with the threats of military intervention by ECOWAS member states, they also emphasize that any proposed sanctions should not exacerbate the hardships faced by the already impoverished population.
“ECOWAS and the AU must be more proactive in dealing with crises within the region and across Africa rather than reacting to situations after they deteriorate. In a span of three years, the West Africa region has been rocked by four(4) coups d’état, Niger being the latest to join Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali. At the same time, we are witnessing increasing threats to civil liberties, wanton corruption, and outright state capture in many other countries. Without addressing the root causes of instability, we cannot have sustainable solutions. This calls for a more comprehensive approach to the social, economic and political environment that puts the needs of African citizens at the centre.”
Urging external powers from the West and East to refrain from interfering in Africa’s internal affairs, the group emphasized the need to prevent the continent from becoming a battleground for proxy wars between competing nations.
“We must resist any moves that will make West Africa or any part of Africa the theatre of war by proxy between competing powers. It is very important for external powers from the West and East to steer clear of Africa’s internal affairs and desist from making reckless statements hinting at military action. We will not tolerate any such rhetoric. Africa is not the extension of any other country or continent. We face neither East nor West. We face forward,” the statement noted.
