Niger junta will prioritise sovereignty over all else

Significance

The junta claimed not to have asked for the aid and objected to an alleged lack of transparency in its allocation. EU authorities rejected the accusations. However, this is only the latest dispute between the junta and a range of Western partners.

Impacts

• Western donors’ willingness to support both humanitarian and longer-term development goals could decline.
• Non-Western partners such as China, the Gulf States, Iran, Russia and Turkey will not fully replace lost Western aid flows.
• The junta may succeed in securing more defections from non-jihadist rebel groups.