The Diplomat
The Spanish government yesterday called for dialogue and the resolution of disputes through legal channels, following the episodes of violence in Niger after the results of the second round of the presidential elections held on the 21st were announced.
Since Wednesday 23rd, when the National Independent Electoral Commission announced the provisional result, which gives the victory in the second round to Mohamed Bazoum, there have been protests in Niamey, the capital, and other cities, which have resulted in several deaths. Former President Mahamane Ousmane, the runner-up, has not accepted the result.
In a communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Spanish Executive condemns these “episodes of violence” and calls for the use of institutional channels to resolve differences and claims arising from the ongoing electoral process, always within the framework of Niger’s law.
It also encourages Spain to “resort to the path of dialogue in the search for solutions aimed at working together for the good of the State and the people of Niger”.
Finally, the communiqué regrets the damage caused by the riots, especially the loss of human lives, and expresses Spain’s confidence that these events will cease and that the country will return to calm and serenity as soon as possible.
