Algeria sends official to Niger for talks after coup

ALGIERS — Algeria said it sent a high-ranking official to Niger on Thursday as part of its diplomatic push in the aftermath of a military coup in the neighbouring country.

The Algerian foreign ministry's secretary general, Lounes Magramane, "will be visiting" Niger on Thursday, the ministry said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

It comes a day after Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf began a tour of West African countries in a bid to find a solution in Niger, where Algiers opposes any military intervention following the coup.

The West African bloc ECOWAS has threatened to use force to reinstate Niger's elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, who was detained by the armed forces on July 26.

Magramane's visit was another step in Algiers' "unceasing efforts... to contribute to a peaceful solution to the crisis in Niger, avoiding increased risks for this neighbouring and brotherly country and for the entire region", the Algerian foreign ministry said.

The diplomat was due to hold a "series of meeting with figures and high officials" in Niger, it added.

Algeria, which shares a 1,000-kilometre southern land border with Niger, has previously cautioned against a military solution, which President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said would be “a direct threat” to his country.

He stressed “there will be no solution without us (Algeria). We are the first people affected”.

Algeria, Africa’s largest country, also shares borders with Libya and Mali, both in the throes of years-long conflicts.

Niger is the fourth nation in West Africa since 2020 to suffer a coup, following Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.

The juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali have said that any military intervention in their neighbour would be considered a “declaration of war” against their countries.