A Letter from RAIN’s Executive Director re: The Attempted Coup in Niger & RAIN’s Continued Commitment to our Mission
Dear Friend of RAIN,
You may have seen news reports of a coup attempt in Niger on Wednesday. Members of the Presidential Guard detained Nigerien President Bazoum and the Interior Minister. The President and his family are unharmed and he is communicating with the outside world. At this time, it is unclear whether other military units support the coup. As the situation continues to unfold, the borders have been closed, a nationwide curfew has been instituted, and government institutions have been suspended. There is no violence involving civilians and RAIN staff are safe.
The US, European Union, and leaders of the UN, African Union, and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) have strongly criticized this bid to overthrow a democratically elected government. ECOWAS and AU representatives are mediating the situation.
Nigerien protestors gathered outside the palace on Wednesday to express support for the President and democratic norms. We share their desire to restore their country to leadership elected by the people.
RAIN continues to believe that community-led development contributes to greater stability and peace – the foundation for everything that RAIN and our rural and nomadic partners seek to build.
We are monitoring the situation closely and will keep you informed of any impacts on RAIN’s work, our team, and the communities we serve. For now, everyone is safe and awaiting further developments.
With gratitude for your continued support,
Katherine Kolios
Executive Director of Rain for the Sahel and Sahara
