Reevaluating the EU's Africa policy amidst a surge of coups

EU foreign and defense ministers met in Spain to discuss the wave of coups in western African countries, highlighting the EU's waning influence and policy failures in the Sahel region. The military coup in Niger poses a fundamental problem for the EU, as it is a key ally in countering militant Islamist groups. The EU agreed to set up a legal framework to sanction those involved in the coup, but remains in "listening mode" regarding possible military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The EU must reflect on its next steps as it faces anti-French sentiment, the expansion of Russian presence, and the need for continued investment in Africa. The question of whether France should stay in Niger is also being debated.