U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned that the United States will hold the junta accountable for the safety of Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, his family, and detained members of the government. The U.S. joins the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in calling for the restoration of constitutional order in Niger. West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, has ordered the activation of a standby force, including the potential use of force, against the military junta that took power in Niger in July 2023. The threat of intervention raises tensions in Niger, a uranium-producing nation, and a key ally in the fight against Islamist insurgents in the Sahel region. The U.S. recently paused certain foreign assistance programs for Niger following the coup.