The US Ambassador to the UN called Bazum the legitimate president of Niger.

The United States considers Mohamed Bazum the legitimate president of Niger, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, an American envoy to the UN, told reporters when answering a question about the position of the Security Council in connection with the appointment of a new government in this African country.

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“We consider President Bazum the democratically elected president of Niger. The conditions in which he is currently being held are unacceptable. We called for his release, together with the UN Secretary General and ECOWAS members, who, as I understand it, will meet today to discuss the situation there,” said Thomas-Greenfield.

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At the end of July, the Niger military announced on national television the removal of President Mohamed Bazum from power. The leaders of most Western countries and the regional organization ECOWAS condemned the coup. In early August, participants in ECOWAS adopted a plan in the event of a military intervention in Niger.

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Niger – a former French colony – remained one of the last allies of Western countries in the Sahel. In addition, the country has rich reserves of uranium on which France depends. According to French media, this African country accounts for 15% to 17% of the uranium used to generate electricity in France.