Germany wants the European Union to impose sanctions on the leaders of last month’s military coup in Niger that toppled the country’s elected president, the foreign ministry said Thursday.
“After suspending development and security cooperation, we now want to launch sanctions in the EU against the putschists,” the ministry posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had spoken on the phone in recent days about Niger with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and African Union Commission head Moussa Faki.
“Germany supports the regional efforts to resolve the crisis in Niger. Our goal is to restore the constitutional order,” the foreign ministry said.
Berlin’s comments came as West African military chiefs met in Ghana to coordinate a possible armed intervention aimed at reversing the coup.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has already applied a raft of trade and financial sanctions since the July 26 military takeover.