“The people of Niger are on the verge of catastrophe, which could lead to a potential flow of refugees. Naturally we cannot turn a blind eye to this situation,” Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told daily Politiken.

Countries in the Global South are “the most important priority at the moment, in light of the war in Ukraine, military coups in Africa and the Danish candidacy for the (UN) Security Council,” he said.

“The Danish government has not stopped its humanitarian aid to Niger but stopped its country programme,” the foreign ministry told AFP.

Denmark’s country aid programme to Niger, announced in the spring and suspended after the coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, totals 920 million kroner ($132 million) over five years.

The amount of the humanitarian aid was not immediately available.

Countries in the Global South are “the most important priority at the moment, in light of the war in Ukraine, military coups in Africa and the Danish candidacy for the (UN) Security Council,” Løkke Rasmussen said.

In early September, Doctors Without Borders urged countries to end what it called a “collective punishment” against the Niger people, in a bid to limit the effects of sanctions imposed following the coup.