The United States has suspended approximately $200 million in military and development aid to Niger in response to the military takeover on July 26.
The State Department’s decision followed the determination that the event constituted a coup and was in accordance with Section 7008 of the annual State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation.
However, life-saving humanitarian, food, and health assistance will continue to benefit the people of Niger.
The suspension of aid underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to treating coup-makers as illegitimate rather than prioritizing perceived strategic interests. This approach aims to send a message that Washington will not compromise on core democratic values.
Despite concerns that the suspension could reduce American leverage over Niger’s future, jeopardize counterterrorism efforts, invite Russian influence, and exacerbate humanitarian suffering, the article questions these arguments.
1. Leverage Over Niger’s Future: The coup highlighted the limited American leverage in Niger before the event. Normalizing relations with the junta may not yield significant leverage beyond military training and expenditures. Other countries, like Egypt, that have faced coups have not shown a willingness to make meaningful reforms regarding democracy or human rights.
2. Counterterrorism: There is limited publicly available evidence demonstrating that America’s counterterrorism efforts in Niger and the Sahel region have significantly improved security. While American support has aided French-led missions against jihadists, violence has continued to worsen, and the French have withdrawn from the central Sahelian countries.
3. Russian Influence: Fears of hypothetical Russian influence should not be a pretext for compromising core American values. France’s experience in Mali after the 2020 coup showed that junta relationships can deteriorate, leading to less effective American support.
4. Humanitarian Conditions: Suspending military assistance does not necessarily worsen humanitarian conditions, as humanitarian aid is exempt under Section 7008. Focusing on humanitarian aid delivery across the Sahel would clarify the U.S. role, both for the region’s people and within the U.S. government.
The article suggests that the U.S. should avoid granting Niger a waiver under Section 7008 or accepting a flawed election as a basis to resume military assistance. Scrutinizing future elections in the Sahel is crucial to avoiding compromise on coup-makers’ political machinations in the region. The article advocates for a less compromising stance from the U.S. in response to coups and coup-makers’ actions in the Sahel.
The Biden administration should use the coup declaration in Niger as the beginning of a firmer stance on coups and political developments in the region.
