(Ecofin Agency) - The Sahel is witnessing an upsurge in terrorist attacks in the tri-border area (Burkina-Mali-Niger). Under the weight of several sanctions imposed by international and regional organizations, Niger is calling for national solidarity to tackle this security crisis.

The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), Niger's current military regime, announced on October 12 the creation of a solidarity fund to combat terrorism and insecurity.

According to information relayed by the local media Agence nigérienne de presse (ANP), the fund will be financed by levies on hydrocarbons, telecommunications, and transport fees, among others. Voluntary financial and in-kind contributions are also expected from companies, NGOs, development programs, and the Diaspora.

The resources mobilized will help finance actions to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Defense and Security Forces (FDS), and care for citizens who are victims of forced displacement due to insecurity, reports the ANP.

The CNSP's decision comes at a time when the Sahel country is experiencing an upsurge in terrorist attacks in the so-called three-border zone (Burkina-Mali-Niger). On October 2, according to government figures, 29 soldiers, mostly from the Special Forces, were killed (60 according to other civilian and security sources) in an attack in Tillia, a prefecture west of the town of Tahoua.

In addition to the security crisis, the country is also facing a precarious economic situation, due to the heavy sanctions imposed by international and sub-regional organizations, following the July 26 coup. The ruling military regime was forced to revise its 2023 Finance Law, cutting spending by 40%. At the same time, a number of international aid projects have also been halted as a result of the coup. The most recent of these was from the United States, announced on October 10.