Washington DC [US], August 10 : The US is "greatly worried" about the health and personal safety of Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum and his family, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday (local time).
Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday (local time), Miller said, "With respect to President Bazoum, we are greatly worried about his health and his personal safety and the personal safety of his family."
He added, "In all of the conversations Secretary Blinken has had with President Bazoum, inquiring about his safety has been one of the first things he’s brought up. It is one of the reasons that Acting Deputy Secretary Nuland wanted to see him personally when she was in the country on Monday. And it’s a matter that remains of concern to us."
Asked about Niger President Mohamed Bazoum's conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Miller said, "I don’t want to give specific details from the conversation, but obviously he’s been there for a number of weeks now. And as time goes on, as he’s held in isolation, it’s a situation that is of growing concern to us."
On Bazoum's party saying that the Niger President was being detained under inhumane conditions with no access to running water, or electricity, Miller said he will not speak about the specific conditions.
Miller said, "I will not speak to specific conditions. I think it’s hard for us to do from Washington, DC, a long ways away. But, I have no reason to dispute those reports."
Niger has been engulfed in political chaos since late last month when the country's President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a coup. Following the military coup that sparked international condemnation, Abdourahamane Tiani, the commander of Niger's presidential guard, has declared himself the country's leader.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken to Niger President Mohamed Bazoum and reiterated America's calls for his release. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Blinken said that he spoke to Niger's President to express our continued efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the current constitutional crisis.
He tweeted, "Spoke to Nigerien President Bazoum to express our continued efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the current constitutional crisis. The United States reiterates our call for the immediate release of him and his family."
Earlier, on Tuesday, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Acting Secretary Victoria Nuland met with leaders of the junta in Niger, making it clear that there would be consequences if they didn’t return to the diplomatic path.
Miller also added that there are hundreds of millions of dollars of US assistance at stake in Niger. Miller was asked after the acting Deputy Secretary Victoria Nuland’s meetings with the Junta Military members if there was any idea where things are going.
In response to the question, Miller said, "Acting Secretary Nuland met yesterday with leaders of the junta and made clear that there was a diplomatic path forward for them if they would choose a return to constitutional order."
"She also made clear that there would be consequences if they didn’t, that there are hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. assistance at stake," Miller added.
Miller further informed that Nuland didn’t achieve any breakthroughs and it’s not at all clear that the Junta Military will choose the diplomatic path forward. He also informed that Nuland also met with civil society leaders, leaders of NGOs while she was in Niger.
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