By Victor Shalton
Niger, a landlocked country at the heart of Africa, finds itself embroiled in a political crisis that has led to the closure of its airspace. The country’s military rulers have declared the closure of the country’s airspace, signaling an escalation of tensions with neighboring countries and the international community. With neighboring nations allegedly preparing for intervention and the expiration of the ECOWAS ultimatum for a return to democratic governance, the situation in Niger remains highly volatile.
In a stern statement issued on Sunday, Niger’s military rulers announced the immediate closure of the country’s airspace, warning that any attempt to violate the closure would be met with a “energetic and immediate response.”
“Faced with the threat of intervention, which is becoming clearer through the preparation of neighboring countries, Niger’s airspace is closed from this day on Sunday…for all aircraft until further notice,” the country’s new rulers said in a statement.
The move came as the deadline imposed by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the military rulers to return power to the democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, expired. The closure, effective immediately, remains in force until further notice, adding a new dimension of complexity to the already precarious political situation.
The closure of Niger’s airspace has dealt a blow to airlines operating in the region, disrupting their flight operations and routing. Forced to revise their flight plans, Air France, a major carrier serving the area, was swift to respond, announcing the suspension of its air links to Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Flights to Niamey, the capital of Niger, have been suspended indefinitely, while flights to Bamako (Mali) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) will be interrupted until August 11. Flights from Lagos (Nigeria), Yaoundé (Cameroon), and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) to Paris were canceled as well.
Moreover, flights from Johannesburg (South Africa) and Nairobi (Kenya) were rerouted to Abidjan, while a flight from Libreville (Gabon) had to return to its point of origin. These changes have led to longer flight times and potential operational disruptions, affecting airlines and passengers alike.
The announcement of the airspace closure coincides with the expiration of the ultimatum set by the ECOWAS. Last Sunday, ECOWAS demanded that Niger’s military rulers step down and restore power to the democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, within a week or face the possibility of military intervention. With the deadline now passed, the international community awaits the next steps taken by ECOWAS and potential responses from the military regime in Niger.
The political crisis in Niger took a dramatic turn on July 26 when President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by members of his own guard, leading to a change in government control. Since then, the military rulers have been at the center of regional and international attention, with ECOWAS playing a prominent role in calling for a return to democratic governance.
Victor Shalton’s love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.
