Following the July 26 coup in Niger Republic, the Dutch government announced in an official statement on Friday that it is temporarily suspending direct engagement with the Nigerien government, Reuters reported.
The Netherlands stated it does not wish to encourage the coup’s perpetrators but was assisting the Nigerien government with security and development cooperation programmes.
Read also: Niger Republic coup: Between ECOMOG army and United States military base
The Dutch government also stated that it was considering supporting other humanitarian initiatives in Niger that are carried out by the United Nations, other international bodies, or regional partners.
Several Western countries have reduced aid since the coup, even though Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries and depends on aid for about half of its yearly budget.
Niger is strategically significant for the United States, China, Europe, and Russia due to its wealth in uranium and oil as well as its crucial role in the conflict with Islamist militants in the Sahel region.
