The United Nations warned on Wednesday that the crisis in Niger could exacerbate food insecurity in the country. To this end, the UN is calling for humanitarian exemptions from sanctions and the closure of borders to avoid a catastrophe.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) pointed out that even before the military overthrew Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum, more than three million people in the country were suffering from acute food insecurity.

Citing a preliminary study by the World Food Program (WFP), OCHA warned that more than seven million people, currently considered moderately food insecure, "could see their situation worsen as a result of the current crisis".

For its part, the UN food program has assured Niger that it will continue to provide aid, despite the current political crisis.

"Our work is vital for the most vulnerable people in Niger and must continue, particularly in the current circumstances," Margot van der Velden, WFP's deputy regional director for West Africa, said in a statement.

Quoted by Lusa, the agency said that in the first week of August it had provided food to 140,000 people in the country and vital treatment for malnutrition to 74,000 children.

The WFP warned that regional sanctions and border closures were "greatly affecting the supply of vital food and medicine to Niger".

"We call on all parties to facilitate humanitarian exemptions to allow immediate access to people in need of food and basic necessities," said Van der Velden.

On July 26, the head of the Nigerian Presidential Guard, Abdourahmane Tiani, announced the deposition of Mohamed Bazoum and the closure of the borders, due to the deep economic and security crisis in the country, which is facing an increase in operations by branches of the extremist group Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.

Niger is the fourth West African country to be led by a military junta, after Mali, Guinea Conakry and Burkina Faso, which also had coups between 2020 and 2022.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has threatened military intervention if constitutional legality is not restored.