Benin

Niger

Energy

Politics

Beninese President Patrice Talon confirmed that shipments of Nigerien oil would be prevented from departing the Beninese oil terminal of Seme until Niger reopened its border with Benin and reengaged in diplomatic dialogue, Radio France International reported May 8.

Benin, Niger: Benin Confirms Decision to Block Niger's Oil Exports Until Diplomatic Dialogue Resumes, Border Reopens 

Cote d'Ivoire

United States

Military & Security

Commander of the U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, Michael Langley met with Beninese President Patrice Talon to discuss bilateral military cooperation, Radio France Internationale reported on May 2. 

Benin: AFRICOM Commander Visits Benin, Cote d’Ivoire as U.S. Seeks New Drone Bases in West Africa

China

Economics

Nigerien oil arrived at the Beninese oil terminal of Seme using the Niger-Benin pipeline on April 21, Africanews reported on April 24.

Niger, Benin: Oil Pipeline Begins Operations

Ghana

Germany

Italy

The United States agreed to withdraw troops from Niger and vacate its two military facilities in the country, AP reported on April 20.

Niger: U.S. To Withdraw Troops From Niger, Seek New Drone Base in West Africa

Russia

Niger's public broadcaster RTN said 100 Russian military instructors had landed at the international airport in Niamey, Al Jazeera reported on April 12.

Niger: Russia Deploys Military Trainers, Air-Defense Systems

U.S. assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs Celeste Wallander stated that Niger's military junta has not formally requested that the U.S. military leave the country, AP reported on March 21.

Niger: U.S. Yet To Receive Formal Request To Exit Niger, According to Pentagon Official

Spokesperson for Niger's military junta Amadou Abdramane announced that Niger was halting with immediate effect bilateral defense cooperation with the United States, adding that the presence of U.S. troops in the country was now illegal, Reuters reported on March 17.

Niger, U.S.: Niger Terminates Defense Cooperation With the United States

Nigeria

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced that Nigeria's border with Niger would reopen immediately, Radio France Internationale reported on March 13.

Nigeria: Government Lifts Sanctions, Reopens Borders With Niger 

Media

Podcasts

What are Niger's security options going forward?

Essential Geopolitics: The Outlook for Niger's Security Landscape

Assessments

Iran

Mohamed Toumba (R), one of the generals who ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, and military junta spokesperson Amadou Abdramane (L) look on in Niamey, Niger, on Sept. 4, 2023. 

As U.S. troops likely prepare to leave Niger, alternative partners ready themselves to fill the void.

What's Next for Niger After the Termination of Defense Cooperation With the U.S.?

Sub-Saharan Africa

Burkina Faso

Mali

A staff member walks past a stage before a press conference at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, on Feb. 27, 2023. 

The exit will worsen all three countries' economic outlook, especially if they decide to also leave the West African Economic and Monetary Union, which would likely fuel jihadist activity in the Sahel.

What Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso's Exit From ECOWAS Means for West Africa

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In this scorecard, we take a critical look at our successes and slip-ups in forecasting geopolitical events over the past year.

Grading Our 2023 Annual Forecast

Graphics

A general view of a military crest of the French army in Niamey, Niger, on July 15, 2022.

French and U.N. troop withdrawals from the Sahel will open the door to jihadist attacks and external actors.

The Sahel's Security Environment Amid French and U.N. Troop Withdrawals

Snapshots

Central African Republic

Gabon

Protesters in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, wave Russian and Burkinabe flags on Oct. 4, 2022. 

Cyber

Many of the drivers that led to the recent coups in the Sahel are present in other African countries, granting Russian-sponsored influence operations more inroads.

Africa's Instability Creates Fertile Ground for Russian Disinformation

Cameroon

Chad

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Equatorial Guinea

Republic of the Congo

People holding Gabon national flags celebrate in Libreville on August 30, 2023, after a group of military officers announced they were ''putting an end'' to President Ali Bongo Ondimba's regime. 

Rampant insecurity could precipitate the collapse of more Sahelian governments, while succession crises and patronage politics could do the same for Central Africa's dynastic leaders.

Assessing the Risk of Future African Coups, Part 1: The Sahel and Central Africa

Togo

French soldiers of the Barkhane force patrol the streets of Timbuktu, Mali, on Dec. 5, 2021.

In the wake of Niger's coup, France will be compelled to revamp its security strategy in the Sahel and West Africa at large.

What the Niger Crisis Means for France's Counterterrorism Strategy in Africa

A political demonstration on June 20, 2023, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

U.S.-China Relations

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Argentine Primary Elections, the Possible ECOWAS Intervention in Niger

Senegal

Protesters hold placards denouncing ECOWAS on Aug. 3, 2023, in Niamey, Niger. While an intervention probably would topple the Nigerien junta, it could cause a regional conflict, boost jihadists and lead to a weak Nigerian civilian regime.

While an intervention probably would topple the Nigerien junta, it could cause a regional conflict, boost jihadists and lead to a weak Nigerian civilian regime.

How Might an ECOWAS Military Intervention Take Shape in Niger?

Brazil

Saudi Arabia

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will host a summit on the Amazon on Aug. 7-8 in an effort to draft a common policy for the first time ever for countries with territory in the Amazon rainforest.

The Weekly Rundown: Ukraine Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia, Brazil Hosts an Amazon Summit

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also serves as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), participates in an emergency ECOWAS meeting on July 30, 2023, following the recent coup in Niger.

Despite its leaders' desire to set a precedent against military takeovers, the 15-nation African bloc will struggle to follow through on its threat to forcefully remove Niger's new junta. 

Gauging the Likelihood of a Post-Coup ECOWAS Intervention in Niger

Niger is a landlocked Sahelian state in West Africa that is surrounded by Algeria and Libya to the north, Chad to the east, Nigeria and Benin to the South and Burkina Faso and Mali to the west.     Niger's greatest geographic challenge is its landlocked status in the Sahel, the transition zone between the Sahara Desert and the savannahs of West Africa. Niger's lack of immediate coastal access and the global markets beyond increases the cost of imports and exports there. Moreover, it forces the country to rely on costly or lacking infrastructure and to manage relations with neighboring countries carefully to ensure its trade opportunities are not cut off.    The Sahel region has often been home to significant instability. Mali, Niger's neighbor to the west, remains the epicenter of regional militancy thanks to its weak government, internal tensions and a host of other issues. Niger, for its part, has also experienced cycles of rebellion but has largely maintained a somewhat stable, if weak and porous, security environment in recent years.     Niger's geographic position in the impoverished and unstable Sahel has done it no favors regarding infrastructure or economic development. In the years ahead, rapid population growth and strained resources will become even more pressing, causing Niger to struggle as it grapples with these problems for the foreseeable future. 

SITUATION REPORTS

Benin, Niger: Benin Confirms Decision to Block Niger's Oil Exports Until Diplomatic Dialogue Resumes, Border Reopens

Benin: AFRICOM Commander Visits Benin, Cote d’Ivoire as U.S. Seeks New Drone Bases in West Africa

Niger, Benin: Oil Pipeline Begins Operations

Niger: U.S. To Withdraw Troops From Niger, Seek New Drone Base in West Africa

Niger: Russia Deploys Military Trainers, Air-Defense Systems

Niger: U.S. Yet To Receive Formal Request To Exit Niger, According to Pentagon Official

Niger, U.S.: Niger Terminates Defense Cooperation With the United States

Nigeria: Government Lifts Sanctions, Reopens Borders With Niger

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