United States President, Joe Biden, has lauded President Bola Tinubu for his effort handling the crisis triggered by the coup in Niger Republic.
Biden also reaffirmed his commitment to the longstanding relationship between the United States and Nigeria.This was contained in a statement released by the White House, following Biden’s encounter with Tinubu at the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, yesterday.
“President Joe Biden has reinforced our enduring commitment to the U.S.-Nigeria relationship and to the longstanding friendship between our two countries and peoples,” the statement reads.
“President Biden welcomed the Tinubu administration’s steps to reform Nigeria’s economy. He also thanked President Tinubu for his strong leadership as the chair of ECOWAS to defend and preserve democracy and the rule of law in Niger and the broader region.”
Biden applauded Tinubu’s response to the coup, which saw the democratically-elected government of Mohamed Bazoum overthrown by the Niger military.
Biden also acknowledged the steps taken by the Tinubu administration to reform Nigeria’s economy, saying that the country’s invitation to the G20 Summit was a “recognition of Nigeria’s important global role as Africa’s largest democracy and economy.”
Tinubu is the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Immediately after the coup, he called for the immediate restoration of democracy in the country and has imposed sanctions on the military junta.
The coup in Niger Republic is the latest in a series of military takeovers in West Africa. In recent years, there have been coups in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso, and the latest one in Gabon.
