Niger coup: US envoy holds difficult talks with Nigeria military following last month’s coup
Acting US deputy secretary of state Victoria Nuland held face-to-face talks with Niger’s military leaders, in conversations that had been “extremely frank and at times quite difficult.”
The conversations come a month after Niger’s military staged a coup. Washington says the coup can still be ended diplomatically and President Mohamed Bazoum reinstated – but the US will suspend aid payments in the meantime.
West African nations are set to meet on Thursday to discuss the crisis.
Ecowas – a trading bloc of 15 West African states – had issued a 23:00 GMT Sunday deadline to Niger’s junta leaders to stand down and restore the elected president.
The coup leaders responded to a threat of military action from the bloc by closing Niger’s airspace.
