Later on Wednesday, in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, military leaders from West Africa’s regional bloc, Ecowas, will gather to discuss the military coup that occurred in Niger last week.
The bloc had already issued a warning, saying it would give Niger’s new leaders a week to restore President Mohamed Bazoum before it thought about resorting to force.
More than 250 passengers were on board the first of three French planes that were despatched to evacuate European citizens when it returned to Paris over night.
After protesters attacked the French embassy on Sunday, there has been an evacuation. Numerous Italians, as well as other Europeans and Americans, have also been evacuated by air.
The reopening of Niger’s borders with Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, and Chad has been proclaimed by the military government. The land border with Nigeria is still blocked, though.