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00:00 People in Niamey are breathing a sigh of relief following the announcement from
00:04 ECOWAS that it will be lifting sanctions imposed on the country in the
00:08 aftermath of the July 26 coup.
00:11 "Everyone is very pleased with the lifting of the embargo. For us, it's like a
00:18 celebration. Everything will return to normal. Supplies will come in, the poor
00:24 and the rich will be able to eat. We can assist the most vulnerable." It's been over
00:31 seven months since the military detained President Mohammed Bizoum and seized
00:35 power. Outraged by the takeover, ECOWAS slapped Niger with sanctions including
00:40 border closures, the freezing of central bank and state assets and the suspension
00:45 of financial transactions with immediate effect. The penalties pushed food prices
00:50 up by 60 percent and triggered hours-long electricity cuts. Many took to
00:55 the streets to protest against the rising costs. Business owners were
00:58 especially hard-hit. "Everyone we do business with says they don't have any
01:03 money, claiming it's blocked at the bank. With the lifting of sanctions, money
01:08 should circulate more easily and anyone to whom you owe money should settle
01:12 quickly." "After seven months of difficulties with the opening of the
01:18 borders, trade should resume, facilitating the import of products and
01:22 improving the transport and sale of goods." ECOWAS says it's lifting the
01:27 sanctions because of humanitarian reasons. But many say the bloc is trying
01:31 to appease the military junta in Niger as well as Mali and Burkina Faso, after
01:36 all three said they would withdraw from ECOWAS because of the sanctions imposed
01:40 on them. An exit that would cost the group nearly 150 billion dollars a year.