The coup in Niger caught much of the outside world by surprise, given the country’s image as a relatively stable outlier in a region beset by upheaval. But if foreign observers were stunned by President Mohamed Bazoum’s ouster, it did not come as a shock to many Nigeriens, and not solely because of Niger’s history of military coups.
If there has been a significant difference between the coup in Niger and others across the region in recent years, it has been in ECOWAS’ response to it. That highlights a nascent transition between waning Western power structures in the region and efforts to construct a new system of collective security there.
Upon taking office in 2020, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye reversed some of his predecessor’s repressive measures, raising hopes that he might deliver on his promised reform agenda. But recent developments have renewed concerns that Ndayishimiye’s initial overtures would not materialize into substantive policy reforms.
