On August 8th, Minister of State Rhissa Ag Boula announced the creation of a movement aimed at restoring President Mohamed Bazoum to his position, using “all necessary means”.
In a statement released on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, members affiliated with the former “renaissance” regime announced the creation of a Council of Resistance for the Republic (CRR). Among the leaders of this movement, which intends to contribute to “the restoration of constitutional order and the full presidency of Mohamed Bazoum in his functions”, is former minister Rhissa Ag Boula, a historic figure of the former Tuareg rebellion of the 1980s-1990s.
The CRR will also support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the statement also indicates. Several Nigerien political figures have joined the CRR without being able to publicly affirm it for security reasons, according to a member of the movement. The launch of this resistance movement comes as diplomatic efforts to return to the status quo stall.
The ruling junta in Niger rejected a mediation attempt by African countries on Tuesday, two days before an ECOWAS meeting, which ultimately threatens military intervention to restore democracy. This seventh coup d’état in West and Central Africa in three years has raised concerns in the international community, as Niger plays an essential role in the fight against Islamist insurgency in the Sahel region.
