Approximately 300 trucks loaded with food and various supplies made their way into Niger from Burkina Faso on Sunday, as reported by a regional customs official. This convoy of trucks initiated its journey from Burkina Faso, the sole open border with Niger following sanctions imposed by the West African regional bloc after rebel soldiers ousted the country’s president just last month.
The route connecting Burkina Faso and Niger is fraught with the presence of extremist groups, rendering it perilous for travel. As a result, military escorts from both nations are required for safe passage.
The international community, along with ECOWAS, viewed Niger’s coup as a grave concern, leading to the imposition of stringent economic and travel sanctions. Notably, in the first half of 2023, there has been a 49% reduction in civilian attacks and a 16% decrease in casualties compared to the same period in 2022, according to Acled, an NGO that documents global conflict-related casualties.
Western observers, particularly France, a key ally of the former regime with 1,500 troops still stationed in Niger, have commended these positive developments. This progress is partly attributed to the unique strategy employed by Mr. Bazoum in countering jihadist groups, which stands in contrast to the “anti-terrorist” operations carried out by military regimes in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, criticized for their heavy toll on civilian populations.
Niger’s approach focuses on peace agreements among communities, development initiatives, and negotiations with armed group leaders—a strategy regarded as promising and favored by Western partners but met with criticism within Niger, particularly within the military.
