Tag: Niger

France set to Withdraw Troops and Ambassador from Niger

On By Dr. Y.In Great MomentsLeave a comment
Flag of Niger

The diplomatic tug-of-war between France and Niger has finally come to an end? President Macron of France said that France will be withdrawing its troops and ambassador from Niger. It has taken almost 2 months for France to agree to remove its ambassador and troops. On August 26, Niger’s government asked the French ambassador to join them for talks like they do with all diplomatic representations in their country. France refused and said that they could not talk to a junta, as they only recognized the fallen president Bazoum as an interlocutor. Niger’s authorities then gave the French ambassador, Sylvain Itte, 48 hours to leave their country given that France would not recognize them on their own soil. France refused to withdraw their ambassador, stating that it doesn’t recognize the coup-plotters as the country’s legitimate leaders. Niger’s authorities then revoked the diplomatic immunity of France‘s ambassador and ordered the police to expel him from the West African country. If the ambassador and his family were found anywhere outside of the embassy, they were considered persona non grata and will be deported immediately; they posted military outside which checked every car entering or leaving the embassy.

French flag

President Macron finally came to his senses and has decided to withdraw the 1500 French troops stationed in Niger, as well as his ambassador. This is the best way to avoid further humiliation. This is a step forward. However, the Niger authorities and people need to stay alert, this is not the end. There is no way France or Europe will leave the uranium and other resources of Niger just like that. There are still American, German, and Italian forces on Niger’s soil: there is a strong solidarity among Europeans, they act as a United force. Excerpts below are from the BBC.

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Map of Niger

President Emmanuel Macron has said France will withdraw its ambassador and end all military co-operation with Niger following a coup.

“France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” Mr Macron said.

He added that military co-operation was “over” and French troops would leave in “the months to come“.

The military junta [Niger authorities] which seized power in Niger in July welcomed the move.

“This Sunday we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger,” the junta said, in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.

There are about 1,500 French soldiers in the landlocked West African country helping to fight Islamist militants. The US also has more than 1,000 troops in Niger but these have not been asked to leave.

The decision by Paris follows months of animosity and protests against the French presence in its former colony, with regular demonstrations in the capital Niamey.

The move deals a hammer blow to France’s operations against jihadists in the wider Sahel region and Paris’ influence there. But Mr Macron said France would “not be held hostage by the putschists,” …

Mr Macron said he still regarded ousted Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, currently held prisoner by the coup leaders, as the country’s “sole legitimate authority” and had informed him of his decision. He described the deposed president as a “hostage“.

“He was targeted by this coup d’etat because he was carrying out courageous reforms and because there was a largely ethnic settling of scores and a lot of political cowardice,” he said.

Niger is one of several former French colonies in West and Central Africa where the military has recently seized control – it follows Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Chad. …

Anti-French vitriol has flourished in the region in recent years, with many local politicians accusing Paris of carrying out neocolonialist policies – a charge denied by France.

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Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Sign a Mutual Defence Pact

On By Dr. Y.In Great MomentsLeave a comment
Map of Liptako-Gourma region (Source: aha-international.org)

We raise our hats to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, countries which have signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter, a mutual defense pact to protect their countries, and fight effectively against terrorists which have been occupying the northern parts of their territories.

The Liptako-Gourma Charter establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which aims to “establish an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for the benefit of our populations“, Colonel and leader of Mali, Assimi Goïta wrote on X.

The Liptako-Gourma area is a region of over 370,000 km2, shared among the three countries, and which has been at the heart of the jihadists’ attack in recent years. It is difficult for a single country to face terrorists or try to defend itself, when those jihadists after attacking one run into the neighboring country in impunity. All three countries are faced with the same issues, and by this charter, they unite their efforts to defend themselves, thus tripling their forces.

Map of Mali with its capital Bamako

“This alliance will be a combination of military and economic efforts between the three countries“, Mali’s Defence Minister Abdoulaye Diop told journalists. “Our priority is the fight against terrorism in the three countries.”

The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has threatened to intervene militarily in Niger over the 26 July coup. Mali and Burkina Faso have quickly responded by saying that any such operation would be deemed a “declaration of war” against them (Niger Coup d’Etat: Airspace Closure, Sanctions, Diplomatic Overtures?, All Eyes on Niger, Niger – France Diplomatic Arm Wrestling). Thus the Liptako-Gourma is a clear creation of a defense alliance for these countries, a normal evolution, and a breath of fresh air. As always, united we stand.

Below are excerpts from AfricaNews. The Liptako region was part of the ancient Liptako Emirate, don’t forget to check out the 1891 treaty with France pertaining to the Liptako kingdom.

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Flag of Burkina Faso

The military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger on Saturday signed a mutual defence pact, ministerial delegations from the three Sahel countries announced in Mali’s capital Bamako.

The Liptako-Gourma Charter establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Mali’s junta leader Assimi Goita posted on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter. Its aim is to “establish an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for the benefit of our populations“, he wrote.

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A jihadist insurgency that erupted in northern Mali in 2012 spread to Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015. All three countries have undergone coups since 2020, most recently Niger, where soldiers in July overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has threatened to intervene militarily in Niger over the coup. Mali and Burkina Faso quickly responded by saying that any such operation would be deemed a “declaration of war” against them.

Map of Niger

– Mutual defence pact –

The charter signed on Saturday binds the signatories to assist one another — including militarily — in the event of an attack on any one of them.

“Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracting parties shall be considered as an aggression against the other parties and shall give rise to a duty of assistance… including the use of armed force to restore and ensure security“, it states.

It also binds the three countries to work to prevent or settle armed rebellions.

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Niger Coup d’Etat: Airspace Closure, Sanctions, Diplomatic Overtures?

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments5 Comments
Flag of Niger

Yesterday saw new turns in the situation in Niger with the airspace closure, and the rebuffing of the west’s puppet organizations that are the AU, ECOWAS, and the UN by Niger. One thing is for sure, everyone is watching carefully, and no one wants a regional spillover; after all, there are a lot of presidents installed to serve foreign interests in many bordering African countries, and many are starting to sweat. As a side note, the U.S., along with France has about 1,500 troops in Niger and Germany with about 100 (and even Italy) use facilities in that country to “combat jihadi groups” (that the West created to destabilize the entire region). The US with Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Wagner (and thus Russia) is misleading the people of Niger… he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, “I think what happened, and what continues to happen in Niger was not instigated by Russia or by Wagner, but… they tried to take advantage of it. … Every single place that this Wagner group has gone, death, destruction and exploitation have followed,” said Mr Blinken. “Insecurity has gone up, not down“. And where the US has gone there has not been insecurity, death, or destruction? It is like the pot calling the kettle black! US Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland flew to Niamey on Monday but was denied permission to meet with current president Abdourahamane Tchiani, coup leader, or with former president Bazoum, who is in detention. Instead, she spoke for two hours with other army officers. “These conversations were extremely frank and at times quite difficult because, again, we’re pushing for a negotiated solution. … They are quite firm in their view of how they want to proceed, and it does not comport with the Constitution of Niger,” Nuland told reporters. So when it serves the West’s interests, the constitution of a country is a valid piece of paper, but when it does not like in Ivory Coast in 2010, it is just toilet paper?

Below are excerpts from the Guardian.

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Map of Niger

… Despite the international pressure, [Niger] coup leaders have seemed unwilling to back down, and on Sunday night, they closed Niger’s airspace until further notice, citing the threat of military intervention.

“In the face of the threat of intervention that is becoming more apparent … Nigerien airspace is closed effective from today,” a junta representative said in a statement on national television on Sunday evening [when Africans fight for their freedoms, they are called junta; but when in other countries people fight for their people’s freedoms, they are called patriots] .

He said there had been a pre-deployment of forces in two central African countries in preparation for an intervention, but did not give details. “Niger’s armed forces and all our defence and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory,” the representative said.

The coup leaders warned any attempt to violate Niger’s airspace would face “an energetic and instant response”.

Ecowas defence officials agreed a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike, if Bazoum was not released and reinstated by the Sunday deadline.

On Monday, an Ecowas spokesperson, Emos Lungu, said the bloc would hold an extraordinary summit to discuss Niger on Thursday at the organisation’s headquarters in Abuja.

However, the bloc’s unity has been shattered by support for the coup leaders from the ruling juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso, both [sanctioned] members of Ecowas, and a pledge to come to Niger’s defence if necessary.

Flag of Burkina Faso

The Malian army said it would send a delegation to Niamey to show solidarity and a military plane from Burkina Faso was reported to have landed in the Niger capital at about 11.20am GMT.

The coup, the seventh in west and central Africa in three years, has rocked the Sahel region, one of the poorest in the world. Given its uranium and oil riches and its pivotal role in a war with Islamist militants, Niger holds great importance for the US, Europe, China and Russia.

… Gen Dominique Trinquand, a former French military representative at the UN, said the junta was “totally isolated” [yeah right! so why is the West afraid of this seemingly “isolated” force?].

He added: “Nigeria, which supplies 70% of Niger’s electricity, has cut the supply. All aid has been cut while Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world.”

On Sunday, Paris announced it was suspending its €482m (£416m) development aid programme to neighbouring Burkina Faso, which – along with Mali – has expressed its support for the junta. [And Burkina Faso told Paris to shove it!]

Last week Niger revoked military cooperation agreements with France, which has between 1,000 and 1,500 troops in the country.