© AFP
In the aftermath of last week's military coup in Niger, all Luxembourg nationals have been safely repatriated from the country.
The final three citizens were brought back on Tuesday evening, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to RTL.
France initiated the repatriation of its nationals on Wednesday after demonstrators attacked the French embassy in Niger at the end of the weekend.
Cooperation aid frozen
Niger is among the target countries for Luxembourg's cooperation aid. However, in light of the recent coup, the Grand Duchy, along with other European nations, has decided to freeze its aid initiatives.
In June 2022, a Luxembourg delegation met with President Bazoum in Niamey, where a cooperation programme worth €145 million was planned to be transferred to Niger between now and 2026. However, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs Franz Fayot stated that the conditions of the cooperation programme are no longer being met due to the military coup.
He explained: "I stopped it immediately. We simply cannot go through with it until the President is released and restored to office."
The question is how realistic this expectation is. The military junta has garnered support from neighbouring countries, where successive coup attempts have occurred since 2020.
Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, the spokesperson for the transitional government in Mali, conveyed on television that a military intervention in Niger would be perceived as a declaration of war against Mali and Burkina Faso.
Experts assert that any military intervention in Niger would prove counterproductive. Dr Sascha Werthes, an international relations researcher at the University of Trier, argues that armed confrontation would have catastrophic consequences, especially for the civilian population. Diplomacy is deemed a more prudent approach in the current situation, especially as the exact objectives of the coup plotters are not yet clear.
Support to NGOs to be maintained
Unlike in Mali and Burkina Faso, where the Grand Duchy's development aid mainly supports NGO projects, Luxembourg's engagement in Niger directly involves government investment.
In Simri, for instance, a project was undertaken to establish a system for accessing clean drinking water. However, after the coup, the situation is nothing short of disastrous. Niger's Prime Minister, Mahamadou Ouhoumoudou, told French television: "Economically, it's a disaster and socially too."
Despite the challenges, Luxembourg remains committed to supporting its seven NGOs and their local partners, allowing them to continue their work. Abdoulaye Amadou, President of the NGO 'Les amis d'Ecole', a partner association of 'Guiden a Scouten fir ENG Welt', emphasises the importance of persevering through difficult times, stating: "There's a saying that goes: 'it's in difficult times that you recognise your true friends.'"
