US ready to lift sanctions on Niger if it returns to constitutional order

The United States is ready to lift sanctions on Niger and resume joint programs in the fight against terrorism if the military that has come to power in the West African country restores democratic order, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with Jeune Afrique, Report informs.

"If Niger returns to the path of constitutional order and democracy, obviously, we are ready to lift sanctions. We are ready to reinstate the programs we shared against terrorism, for security. It all depends on the concrete steps the putschists take. I have some hope that it can move in a better direction, but I don’t see the evolution towards a new order or a new configuration of states," Blinken said.

Blinken also spoke about the Alliance of Sahel States created in September 2023, which included Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Answering the question whether the United States is concerned about the creation of this military association, the Secretary of State noted that “it all depends on the concrete steps the putschists take.”