The transitional legislative assembly has unanimously approved the deployment of troops to Niger. On Tuesday, all 71 members of the legislative body voted in favor of sending military personnel to Niger. The mission’s duration for the military contingent is three months, with the option for renewal. Burkina Faso will finance this deployment as part of its commitment to counterterrorism efforts. Several weeks ago, the government, during a council of ministers meeting, approved a bill for sending troops to Niger.
Through this vote, members of the transitional legislative assembly have provided a legal framework for the government’s deployment of troops to Niger. The date of deployment and the number of soldiers have not yet been disclosed.
“Some leaders have committed to intervening in a neighboring country, a country with which we are supposed to coexist. It is from this standpoint that we will determine how to deploy troops,” stated Colonel Major Kassoum Coulibaly. The Defense Minister emphasized that this act demonstrates solidarity with a neighboring country. “When your neighbor’s house is on fire, consider how to bring them a bucket of water or sand to help extinguish the flames,” Colonel Kassoum Coulibaly added.
According to the Defense Minister, this action is aimed at preventing Niger from suffering the same fate as Mali or Libya. Currently, there are no Burkinabe soldiers present in Niger as part of this assistance, according to the authorities. Colonel Coulibaly stated that Burkina Faso is in a preparatory phase for now and hopes to keep it that way. However, the country will respond if ECOWAS intervenes in Niger or if there is a violation of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.