Canada has "strongly condemned the coup attempt in Niger," but it did not join other countries in threatening to cut aid to this West African nation.

A faction of the Nigerian military announced last Wednesday the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021, after detaining him in the presidential palace.

The Canadian government's Global Affairs Office tweeted on Friday evening that Ottawa "reaffirms its support for President Bazoum and reiterates its call for his release."

The bloc consisting of 15 African countries also threatened on Sunday to impose sanctions on the leaders of the military council in Niger and to send military forces to the country if President Bazoum is not restored to power within a week.

They announced that all of their members will suspend trade and financial transactions with Niger.

Similarly, the United Kingdom and the European Union have cut their aid to Niger, and the United States is seriously considering the possibility of making a similar decision.

However, Canada has not given any indication that it is contemplating reducing the budgets allocated for development and humanitarian aid in Niger, which amount to about 60 million dollars a year.

These events in Niger are the latest in a series of coup attempts in the Sahel region, where the armed group "Islamic State" is recruiting fighters and committing massacres.

This state of political instability coincides with the intervention of the "Wagner" group of Russian mercenaries in the affairs of countries in the region.