Niger’s new junta may be days away from facing an intervention force from its neighbours, as the Economic Community of West African States, or Ecowas, backed by France and other western nations, seeks to restore Niger’s ousted President, Mohamed Bazoum.
International coverage of the July 26 coup has been dominated by images of anti-France demonstrators on the streets waving Russian flags. Missed in the media frenzy is the fact that Niger is in the grips of the worst food crisis it has witnessed in decades, with one in five Nigeriens facing acute food insecurity. No intervention to restore Niger’s fragile constitutional order will succeed for long without addressing the fragile state of Niger’s food supply. Instead, a strategic intervention to enable Niger to feed itself is required as food security is fundamental to securing peace and stability in the country.
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