The African Union has taken action in response to the coup in Niger, which occurred on July 26th, urging its member states to refrain from actions that would legitimize the junta’s rule.

The African Union also distanced itself from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS after expressing concerns about the possibility of a military intervention to restore President Mohamed Bazoum.

A press release issued on Tuesday highlighted these developments.

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In a meeting held on August 14th, the AU Peace and Security Council made the decision to suspend Niger’s participation in all AU activities, organs, and institutions until constitutional order is effectively restored in the country.

The Council endorsed diplomatic efforts and encouraged dialogue to address the situation, expressing a preference for peaceful resolutions.

The AU Peace and Security Council extended support to ECOWAS’ endeavors in restoring constitutional order diplomatically and called on the military junta to collaborate with ECOWAS and the AU for a peaceful and swift restoration of constitutional governance.

The Council emphasized the importance of implementing the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS against Niger while minimizing their disproportionate impact on Niger’s citizens.

The press release also underscored the Council’s rejection of external interference by non-African entities or countries, including private military companies.

This coup marks Niger as the fourth West African nation to experience such political upheaval since 2020, following Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali.

The incident has raised concerns among Western allies, as it potentially jeopardizes projects like the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline, which aims to transport natural gas between Nigeria and Algeria to Europe.

Moreover, the coup has sparked worries of heightened instability in the Sahel region, which is grappling with insurgencies by jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.