[ad_1]
After more than a year of heightened tensions following the July 2023 Niamey military coup, Niger and Nigeria have decided to restart military cooperation. This revival marks a major turning point in regional stability after a period of rupture in relations between the two countries. The decision is particularly significant given the significant deterioration in diplomatic relations between Niger and several of its neighbors, including Nigeria and Benin, following the overthrow of former Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum and threats of military intervention by the Community of Western African States (ECOWAS), chaired by Nigeria.
Niger and Nigeria’s strategic shift
The meeting between Nigeria’s Chief of Staff, General Christopher Moussa, and his Nigerien counterpart, General Moussa Saraou Balmou, in Niamey symbolized the two countries’ renewed desire for cooperation. Relations between the two countries have been at a standstill since the 2023 coup, largely due to Nigeria’s initial stance, which under Bola Tinubu’s leadership had considered military intervention to restore constitutional order in Niger. This approach led Niger to turn to Mali and Burkina Faso, also led by military regimes, to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a move that marked their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Today, the rapprochement with Nigeria signals a strategic realignment by Niger, realizing that its stability requires greater regional cooperation, even with former adversaries. One of the first concrete steps in this new dynamic is the reactivation of the Multinational Force (MMF), a coalition formed in 1994 and comprising the armies of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Initially established to combat cross-border crime, the FMM has expanded its remit over the years to include combating the persistent threat of jihadists in the region.
Common security challenges
One of the main reasons for this rapprochement is the need to address security challenges that affect not only Niger and Nigeria but the entire Sahel region. Military officials from both countries stressed the importance of combating the proliferation of small arms, which fuels insecurity and conflict in the region. This new cooperation aims to stem the growing availability of these weapons, a problem that has allowed jihadist groups to strengthen their presence and cross-border operations.
Instability in the Sahel region is largely caused by the activities of armed groups and requires a coordinated response. By agreeing to resume active participation in the FMM, Niger recognizes the need for a collective approach to addressing common threats. The decision may also help ease tensions with Abuja, which has shown signs of being open to a diplomatic solution after a period of intransigence.
Cooperation with regional impact
Beyond the rapprochement between Niger and Nigeria, the resumption of military cooperation could have wider implications for the region. Stability in the Sahel depends on the ability of countries to coordinate efforts to address security threats, and Niger now appears ready to pursue that goal with its neighbors, including those with whom it has recently clashed.
This new era of cooperation can also be seen as an attempt by Niger to rebalance its alliances while maintaining a certain independence from regional blocs such as ECOWAS. Indeed, by pledging not to destabilize its neighbors, Nigeria is sending a strong signal that it wants to prioritize regional stability over internal political disputes.
In conclusion, the resumption of military cooperation between Niger and Nigeria reflects a pragmatic evolution in the relationship between the two countries. Faced with common security challenges, cooperation seems to be the only possible way to restore some kind of normalcy in a region plagued by multiple crises. If the commitments made can be translated into concrete actions on the ground, this reconciliation may well mark the beginning of a more stable and cooperative phase in the Sahel region.
[ad_2]
Source link
