UN chief urges release of Niger’s president

United Nations, USA | Xinhua | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, as the world body is suspending humanitarian operations in Niger due to the situation in the country.

Soldiers in Niger have overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum, the country’s Defense and Security Forces said in a press release broadcast on national television late on Wednesday, hours after the president was allegedly held hostage.

Addressing a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres urged those detaining Bazoum to release him “immediately and unconditionally.”

“Stop obstructing the democratic governance of the country and respect the rule of law,” he added.

Guterres said he spoke to Bazoum on Wednesday to express the UN’s full solidarity.

“I don’t know exactly where he is, but he was detained,” the UN chief said. “He told me he was well, but he told me that the situation was very serious.”

Later at a daily press briefing, a UN spokesman said humanitarian operations are currently on hold in Niger “given the situation” there.

“The problem on the air right now is that our humanitarian flights cannot fly within the country which means that our humanitarian operations are suspended,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres, told reporters.

Niger is already facing a complex humanitarian situation, he said, noting that violence by armed groups, both in the country and its neighbors, has increased the concerns over civilian protection and has also aggravated food insecurity.

There are currently 4.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Niger, compared to 1.9 million in 2017, Dujarric said.

More than 370,000 people are displaced within Niger, which also hosts more than 250,000 refugees, mainly from Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso, according to the spokesman.