the military regime denounces “perfidious actions” and “obvious interference” by the UN chief

The military regime resulting from a coup d’état in Niger denounced, Friday September 22, the “perfidious actions” of the head of the UN whom they accuse of having done “obstacle” to the participation of their representative in the United Nations General Assembly.

During this event, the military regime in power sent its new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, who was the country’s representative to the UN before the July 26 coup. “Mr. Guterres not only refused to take note of the official list of delegates from Niger (…) but above all acceded to the fanciful request of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassoumi Massaoudou tending to dismiss the permanent representative of Niger at the United Nations”notes the Niamey press release.

UN chief’s spokesperson rejects these accusations

Niger “rejects and strongly denounces this manifest interference by Mr. Guterres in the internal affairs of a sovereign State”adds the text which denounces “the complicity of France and two French-speaking heads of state” West Africans, without mentioning them.

Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson rejected the explanations put forward by Niger. “In the event of competing credentials from a Member State, the Secretary General transmits the question to the Credentials Committee of the General Assembly which deliberates on the question. The Secretary General does not decide”, Stéphane Dujarric told AFP. According to a diplomatic source, the UN has, in the case of Niger, received two different requests to speak at the General Assembly, one for Bakary Yaou Sangaré and the other coming from the overthrown government.

The question was therefore referred to the Credentials Committee which generally does not meet before the fall and no representative of Niger is therefore included on the list of speakers at the General Assembly.