At least Fourteen Central and West African states have hitherto French colonial residual effects, retained even after years of independence.
The important West African nation called Niger has nowadays come to limelight where Army Presidential Chief Guard General Abdourahmane Omar Tchiani, an ex-UN peacekeeper, seized power through a military coup recently from President Bazoum.
Once involved in peacekeeping efforts in war-hit countries in African continent, General Abdourahmane Omar Tchiani has now triggered a major crisis in Niger which was earlier ruled by President Mohamed Bazoum who was known as a loyal and unswerving US- France ally.
There are US and France troops present in entire West Africa and also in Niger those have been a cause of public anguish. Those with experience in the region argue that Niger is simply too important for America to abandon no matter its leadership.
The U.S. has spent $500 million building up and training the Nigerien military since 2012, including $100 million for the army base at Agadez, which hosts U.S. drones for counterterrorism operations lead by French troops in Mogadishu Nigeria and other parts of west Africa.
Niger is a land locked country surrounded on the northwest by Algeria, on the northeast by Libya, on the east by Chad, on the south by Nigeria and Benin, and on the west by Burkina Faso and Mali. France after winding up her colonial rule in the rich West Africa entangled these nations in a trade and economic snare.
These nations are rich in mineral Uranium oil and Gold reserves which is easily pillaged by France with the help of the common West African economic forum called Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which under an arranged treaty have to deposit 50% of their foreign reserves with France that actually acts as a spur in boosting French economy.
Of late Britain too has joined this carpet bagging and expedient economic game. Britain after France has turned to be big partner in economy of West African nations.
The entire West from US to France have launched a strong ire on the military coup in Niger and demanded return of President Bazoum to power that happened to be a good friend of the Western powers. His return to power seems to be unlikely because public has vociferously thronged to roads against France and the US interests in Niger.
People are demanding for removal of US and French troops from Niger. The military has blamed president Bazoum of corruption, failed economic policies and lack of competence in handling terrorism related issues.
The US-France along with their allies surrounding Niger including Nigeria of COWAS group have threatened of a military intervention and other sanctions being imposed even by the West. At least three neighboring countries Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad have reiterated ardent support to Niger even a military one if it was attacked.
Over the past some years China has extending its outreach to North and West Africa which has obviously disgruntled Washington. The Russian link is more and more unfolding.
Moscow too has been desperately aspiring to bolster her influence in the region patently for her politico-economic gains, which has perhaps caught up and embroiled Mali, Burkina Faso and some other smaller countries. Russia is providing free wheat to these agriculturally weak nations and all possible logistic support.
General Omar Tchiani has met Putin in Moscow who was given a red carpet welcome there. It has unfolded that Moscow intended to support its new ally in Niger through her most dreadful private military mercenaries the Wagner group in advance lest her pro- American neighbors attack Niger with covert support of the West.
This has unnerved and discomfited General Tchiani’s adversaries around. Niger has huge mineral, Uranium and Gold reserves which have as yet failed to resuscitate her gasping economy.
The fears of France and US that it might trigger the anti- west sentiment in the whole region is for now coming true if Russia and China succeed in settling down in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and some other areas of West Africa.
While US succeeded unresistingly in removing Imran Khan a pro Sino-Russian leader from power in Pakistan through a military arranged vote of no confidence, she has ostensibly failed to protect one of her strong ally President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger in West Africa.