Truck drivers and freight carriers have been enduring lengthy days of waiting in kilometer-long queues at the entry and exit points of Niger, Euronews has reported.
The neighboring countries have shut their borders due to the recent coup d'état there. This development has had a severe impact on trade throughout the region. Not only are goods prevented from being imported into Niger, but transit routes through it are also blocked. Delays are now observed across 75 delivery routes, primarily for food products. Traders are suffering significant losses. While drivers remain stuck in queues or search for longer alternative routes, goods are deteriorating.
Currently, disruptions in supplies are mainly affecting specific types of products, but the situation in this vulnerable region could shift at any moment.
"We left our families to provide for them, went out to earn a living. We don't know what's happening. We're stranded here. It's been 16 days on the road. We're pleading with the African population to address their own issues, let us through – we'll unload our cargo, turn around, and head back to our families, as it should be," complained a truck driver.
The situation escalated when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded the activation of reserve forces at the border with Niger to prepare for an operation to "restore constitutional order in the country." Over the weekend, heads of staff were supposed to discuss further steps in a meeting in Accra. However, negotiations were postponed indefinitely due to "technical reasons."
Earlier, the insurgents threatened to kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in the event of intervention.
Meanwhile, on August 11, thousands of Nigerien junta supporters gathered for a protest rally near a French military base close to Niamey.
Participants waved Russian flags and chanted slogans like "Down with France" and "Down with ECOWAS!" Around 1,500 French soldiers are still stationed in Niger. Before the coup, Paris was Niger's main ally in countering jihadists in the region.
Comments (0)