Niamey, 3 August 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Pressure continues to mount on Niger, where a military junta took power a week ago, with Nigeria suspending electricity supplies and the World Bank freezing payments to the West African nation on Wednesday.

Nigeria suspended electricity supplies to Niger on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by Niger's largest power utility, NIGELEC on Wednesday.

A military coup one week ago resulted in the removal and arrest of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Nigeria, the biggest economy in Africa, has increased the pressure on the new rulers.

Nigeria is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has strongly condemned the takeover.

ECOWAS began a three-day meeting in Nigeria on Wednesday to discuss the way forward. ECOWAS members Burkina Faso and Mali, already suspended after earlier military coups, had sided with Niger.

Meanwhile, the World Bank said it was "alarmed" by efforts to overthrow the democratically elected government in the country.

It paused its disbursements for all operations in the country, other than private sector partnerships, until further notice. Private sector partnerships would continue with caution.

"The World Bank believes that peace, stability, and rule of law are fundamental for creating a world free of poverty on a livable planet," it said in a statement.

"We will continue to closely monitor the situation. We are driven by the ambition to improve the quality of life and opportunities for the people of Niger."

Also on Wednesday, the US called for the "temporary departure" of non-emergency government personnel and their family members from Niamey.

The US Department of State also updated the travel advisory to the country to level 4, indicating that US nationals should not travel to the country.

While the embassy would remain open, it would only be available for "limited, emergency services to US citizens."

The travel advisory warned "terrorist groups continue plotting kidnappings and possible attacks in Niger" and that the embassy "has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Niger due to the temporary reduction in embassy staff."

Meanwhile, France, Britain and Italy began evacuating their citizens and others, with two planes landing in France and one in Italy.

The French planes carried mainly French citizens but also Germans and several other EU nationals, as well some from the United States, Ethiopia and elsewhere, according to French press reports and the French Foreign Ministry.

France had brought 736 people to safety with three evacuation flights, the French Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday evening. Among them were 560 French citizens. A fourth flight is in preparation.

After a request by France, the European Commission is to cover 75% of the transportation costs, according to a press release.

A flight carrying dozens of people evacuated from Niger landed in Rome on Wednesday morning, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.

On board the Italian plane were 87 people, including 36 Italian nationals, 21 US citizens, four Bulgarians and two Austrians, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

British Foreign Minister James Cleverly on Wednesday evening said that "the first group of British nationals have now safely left Niger."

On July 26, officers of the presidential guard arrested Bazoum and declared him deposed.

The commander of the presidential guard, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, appointed himself the new ruler on Friday. Shortly after Tchiani took power, the putschists suspended the constitution and dissolved all constitutional institutions.

On Sunday, ECOWAS called on the coup plotters to release Bazoum.

If he is not reinstated within a week, ECOWAS will take measures that could include force, the regional bloc said.

Photo: MIA archive