New Niger Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Zeine has expressed confidence in the capacity of Niger to overcome the sanctions imposed on the country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The ECOWAS bloc has severed financial transactions and electricity supplies and closed borders with landlocked Niger, blocking much-needed imports to one of the world’s poorest countries.

Speaking during an interview with German broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, the new prime minister who expressed optimism about a visit by a Nigerian delegation and talks with ECOWAS, also urged people to “trust the new authorities.”

Niger’s military leaders had earlier in a national broadcast announced plans to prosecute the deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, for alleged “high treason” and “undermining the security of the country”, after toppling his democratically elected government in last month’s coup.