Niger : A country declared very poor, yet highly coveted by foreigners
Niger, under President Abdourahamane TIANI since July 26, 2023, is, according to the World Bank and other international institutions such as the United Nations Development Programme, one of the poorest countries in the world, with a struggling economy.
According to these same international institutions, in 2005, 63% of Nigeriens were living below the poverty line. According to the 2022 Human Development Index ranking, 10 million people live in extreme poverty. This situation automatically ranks Niger 189th out of 191 poor countries.
So, the recurring question in the minds of enlightened individuals is, what are foreigners, powerful countries at that, seeking in this West African country that is steeped in extreme poverty ? How is it that these foreigners flock to and cling to this country and refuse to let go ?
Certainly not to help it emerge from its precarious situation, as they have been there for years and nothing changes. For reasons they understand well, they come offering illusory bilateral relations. Let us take France, this former colonial power that refuses to let Nigeriens breathe on their own land, as an example.
After decades of plunder, sabotage, and exploitation, in a colonization under a new form, this France under Emmanuel Macron wants to forever embed itself in the lives of Nigeriens, bringing them only misery and suffering. It wants to strip them of all their riches, disturb their peace before getting rid of them.
Recent actions against the country confirm this, and there is no need to demonstrate further. We refer to the destabilization attempt orchestrated by France under Emmanuel Macron, with the support of its soldiers who remained clandestinely in Niger and its African allies.
In addition to France, the United States of America, who pretend to be the best allies of the Nigeriens, are only seeking their own interests. Otherwise, how is it that after being distant, American authorities return without being invited by the homeowner ? As a reminder, they had initially severed relations at the beginning of the crisis, except for humanitarian cooperation, surely deliberately.
Then, the United States stated that they were ready to resume their cooperation with Niger on the condition that the new military authorities agree to a short transition for a return to normal constitutional order with the handover of power to democratically elected leaders, thereby supporting the decisions of ECOWAS.
Today, they are once again intervening with the objective of reconnecting with the military in power. What are these foreign powers playing at, if not solely to preserve their interests in the country ? It should also be noted that the United States of America still have over a thousand soldiers stationed in Niger, notably at Air Base 201 in Agadez, in the north of the country according to reports.
Prudence and vigilance must be exercised to defend and preserve Niger’s interests, and no foreigner will do it in place of the Nigeriens themselves.
Ly Razak
