All French soldiers deployed in Niger as part of the anti-jihadist fight will have left the country by December 22, announced the military regime that came to power through a coup in Niamey, the end point of a departure that began in October.
“By December 22, all French soldiers as well as their logistical (equipment) will have definitively left Niger,” indicate the Nigerien Armed Forces in their press release.
The end of a long standoff
It is the culmination of a deep divorce between France and Niger, since the generals came to power in Niamey, during a coup d’état on July 26. They then quickly demanded the departure of French soldiers – around 1,500 deployed to fight against the jihadists – and denounced several military agreements concluded with Paris. After a long standoff, France resolved to do so and Emmanuel Macron announced that the withdrawal would be completed before the end of the year.
This Tuesday the Nigerien army clarified that “the process of disengagement of French troops is continuing so far in a coordinated and safe manner”. “1,346 French people and 80%” of logistical equipment “were disengaged outside our borders. To date, there are only 157 French soldiers left on our territory, including 75 logisticians,” detailed the Nigerien national television news, Télé Sahel, on Tuesday evening. A first convoy of French soldiers left the country on October 10.
Partnership breakdowns
Since the coup d’état which overthrew the elected president Mohamed Bazoum, sequestered in his residence, the Nigerien generals in power are gradually severing the links established by the deposed regime with certain Western partners. At the beginning of December, Niamey announced that it was putting an end to two European Union (EU) security and defense missions, civil and military, in the country, at a time when the ruling military was welcoming a Russian delegation.
At the same time, Niger has been cooperating since the coup with Burkina Faso and Mali, also led by the military. The three countries are prey to jihadist violence. And after Mali last year, Burkina Faso and Niger also announced at the beginning of December their departure from the anti-jihadist organization G5 Sahel, today made up of Mauritania and Chad. Niger is affected by bloody attacks in its western and southeastern parts by groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Maintaining regional sanctions
At the end of a summit on Sunday in Abuja, other West African countries, united within ECOWAS, maintained their heavy economic and financial sanctions imposed on Niger after the coup d’état, conditioning their relief on a “short transition” in particular.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, who attended the summit, was in Niamey on Tuesday, leading a delegation that met with Niger’s military-appointed Prime Minister, Ali Mahaman. Lamine Zeine, according to Nigerien radio.
In addition, the new United States ambassador to Niger, Kathleen FitzGibbon, who arrived in Niamey in mid-August, will soon present her credentials to the authorities, the Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, assured in early December.
For their part, international NGOs operating in Niger called on Tuesday for a reduction in the sanctions taken by ECOWAS against Niamey, wishing to allow the entry of emergency humanitarian aid through neighboring Benin. They deplore that ECOWAS has “not heeded the calls” of the humanitarian community “to ensure that civilians in Niger have access to vital aid”. According to them, more than 4.3 million people need urgent assistance in Niger.