On the 26th of July, Niger's democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was arrested by the presidential guard in a military coup. Unlike its neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, which prior to their respective coups had seen popular mobilisation in the streets and army strikes, there were no similar signs that a coup would unfold in Niger.

In this interview, Jean-Hervé Jezequel, Crisis Group’s Project Director for the Sahel, highlights the international and regional response to the coup, especially the actions of ECOWAS and France. He also sheds light on the importance of compromise among conflict parties to avoid militarising the next steps and to include civilians in the transition.