Coup: Mali, Burkina Faso send delegation to Niger as tension heightens

A delegation from Mali and Burkina Faso is expected to arrive in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Monday in a show of solidarity amidst a coup crisis, the Malian army said.

The Malian army made the announcement of the joint delegation via a tweet on Monday.

The tweet reads, “Burkinaannouncement in a tweet Faso and Mali are sending a delegation to Niamey to show the solidarity of the two countries with the brotherly people of Niger.”

The transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali, which were established after the military took power by force in 2020 and 2022 in the two countries, also declared their support for the Nigerien soldiers who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.

The two countries also warned that any military intervention in Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them and would lead to the withdrawal of Burkina Faso and Mali from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

ECOWAS, a regional political and economic union of 15 countries located in West Africa, has threatened to restore order in Niger by force.