The European Union (EU) is progressing with its plans to impose sanctions on members of the junta that seized control in Niger last month, according to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Borrell mentioned on Wednesday that the EU intends to match any sanctions that the West African regional body ECOWAS takes.
“We’ll follow their lead, trying to apply similar sanctions,” Borrell told journalists after an EU defense ministers’ meeting in Toledo, Spain.
Borrell indicated that he will propose establishing a legal structure for sanctions against those responsible for the coup during an upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers on Thursday in Toledo.
The EU’s alignment with ECOWAS decisions on sanctions reflects its ongoing emphasis on letting African leadership guide the resolution of the crisis, a stance it has maintained since the coup on July 26.
Nevertheless, Borrell’s approach to potentially providing financial support for a military intervention in Niger differs. Rather than an automatic approval, he clarified that the EU would evaluate any such request made by ECOWAS.
“We don’t have any specific request as of now,” he added.
Borrell pointed out that the coup has intensified instability in the already fragile Sahel region of West and Central Africa. He highlighted concerns about the involvement of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group in the area, which has become a significant actor in recent years.
Despite the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a plane crash, Borrell expects Wagner to persist in Africa. He stated that they would promptly find a replacement for their late leader, emphasizing that Wagner serves as Russia’s armed branch in the region.
Borrell explained that Moscow refrains from deploying regular troops due to its potential to escalate tensions. However, Wagner’s activities, according to him, contribute neither to peace nor the rights and freedoms of the Sahel’s people.
Both ECOWAS and the EU have already enforced punitive measures following the coup in Niger. ECOWAS suspended commercial dealings, froze state assets, and halted financial assistance. The EU also suspended financial support and security cooperation.
The proposed new sanctions framework would grant the EU the necessary legal basis to target specific individuals and organizations held accountable for the coup.
In light of the recent coup in Gabon, some suggest that the Niger Junta may view the situation as advantageous due to the divided global attention. The coup in Gabon has raised concerns globally, raising the possibility that more African nations could follow a similar path.
