Niger junta slams 'inhumane' ECOWAS sanctions

Almost three weeks after Niger's president Mohamed Bazum was deposed, the new military leadership strongly criticized sanctions imposed by ECOWAS and the West African Economic and Monetary Union.

Ecowas condemned the coup and imposed economic and financial sanctions on the country of over 25 million people.

On Sunday (Aug. 13) a member of the junta spoke on national television.

"The transitional authorities of Niger regret this attitude of a certain international community countries, which consists of showing solidarity with a few politicians of the deposed regime, while at the same time lacking empathy for the people of Niger, who have been hard hit by the illegal, inhumane and humiliating sanctions imposed by Ecowas, which go so far as to deprive the country of pharmaceutical products, basic foodstuffs and electricity supplies," Col. Major Amadou Abdramane slammed.

The sanctions have left land-locked Niger with minimal power supply as Nigeria, whose supply accounts for 70 percent of Niger's electricity, has cut off power supply.

Following the sanctions multinational organizations also cut off their links.

Niger’s population has experienced a vast lack of electricity with only 4.3 million people having access to energy as 90% of its population uses wood as a source of energy.