France, the EU and the US have imposed sanctions on Niger since a military coup ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26. But pressure from the West may not guarantee « weakened » Bazoum’s future as leader, Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation told FRANCE 24.

“His credibility has been really damaged. He’s been held for four days by his own guards without a single army or police unit coming to his rescue,” Laessing said.