One year after the coup in Niger which took place on 26 July 2023, Ibrahim Prize Laureate and former President of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou has, for the first time, explicitly condemned the coup, in a letter issued following a formal request from the Ibrahim Prize Committee of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
From the outset, The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has supported all efforts to mediate the situation in Niger, including those of President Issoufou, and sought the return to constitutional order in the country and the re-instatement of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.
However, one year on now from the coup, it is clear that mediation efforts have proved unsuccessful, while the situation of both President Bazoum and the people of Niger have worsened.
Given this lack of progress and the commitment to upholding its founding principles of respect for democracy, rule of law and accountability, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation considered it was appropriate that President Issoufou now publicly condemn the coup.
For the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, whatever the grounds, a coup is never a solution, as set out in the Foundation's publication from earlier this year: A coup is never a solution: Analysis of the warning signs and impact of recent coups in Western Africa .
Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, commented:
"I am relieved to see President Issoufou finally explicitly condemn the coup in Niger. Since its inception, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has remained committed to its core principles: respect for democracy, rule of law and accountability. And we expect these to be upheld at the highest level by our Prize Laureates, who act as role models for leadership in Africa.
"Whatever the grounds, a coup is never a solution. The Foundation will continue to closely monitor the situation, advocate for the immediate liberation of President Bazoum and his wife, and work for the return to democratic rule, political stability, and economic prospects for the people of Niger, as well as in the wider region."
The full letter from President Issoufou can be accessed here . An English translation of the letter has been provided below.
Dear Members of the Ibrahim Prize Committee,
Allow me first to greet you and thank you for your letter dated 26th July 2024.
Please also note that, in addition to President Bazoum and his wife, other comrades remain detained. This is namely the case for my son, Sani Issoufou Mahamadou, former Minister of Oil, detained in a prison 200km away from the capital city Niamey.
The Ibrahim Prize constitutes, as you have well highlighted, a great initiative to promote democracy, rule of law and accountability on our continent.
And it was because of these principles and values that I condemned, using a wording adequate and adapted to the situation, the events of 26 July 2023. This condemnation was expressed by the following tweet, dated 30 July 2023: "Since 26 July, our country has entered a difficult period in its history. Confronted by this critical situation, I have endeavoured through various means to find a negotiated resolution to the crisis, namely allowing the liberation of President Mohamed Bazoum, and the return to his position. As long as there will be some hope, I will pursue that avenue..."
That avenue has regretfully been jeopardised by the decision taken by ECOWAS to go for a military intervention. Convinced that all that is excessive is unnecessary, I opposed this intervention, as I opposed , at the time, the military intervention in Libya, which led to the disastrous consequences I described at the G7 Summit of Deauville (France): the somalisation of Libya, and the destabilisation of the Sahel.
It was my support for these principles and values that, in April 2021, saw me lead the first democratic transition in our country's history.
And once again, it is on the basis of these principles and values that I condemn today any anti-constitutional regime change and any violence, specifically any power grab through violence, including the one that took place on 26 July 2023.
Allow me here to tell those who may not be aware that I have been lucky enough to prevent at least four coup attempts during my two mandates between 2011 and 2021: in August 2011, only five months after my swearing in, in December 2015, in December 2019, and in March 2021, two days before the inauguration of President Bazoum.
The instability perduring in my country reminds me of the myth of Sisyphus.
This ongoing series of coups obviously has a structural cause to which we must find a structural solution.
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Each Nigerien must draw, from his/her own political experience, all needed resources to contribute to this solution in a peaceful manner. All the people of Niger must pull themselves together, draw the lessons from the past, put an end to sterile quarrels and divisions, avoid this endlessly repetitive cycle, forgive each other, reconcile, reunite and stabilise together the country in a sustainable way. This is critical to ensure its emergence and thus its prosperity.
To summarize:
- I condemn the coup that took place in Niger on the 26 July 2023.
- I oppose any violence, including any outside intervention which could destabilise the country and thus aggravate its situation.
- For a stable, peaceful and prosperous Niger, I will continue to contribute to any solution able to reconcile all Nigeriens, including through the liberation of all political prisoners.
With my renewed thanks for having given me the opportunity to speak my mind on the situation of my country, and my best regards,
Signed: Issoufou Mahamadou, ancient President de la République du Niger, President de la Fondation Issoufou Mahamadou
