Military rulers in Niger expel French ambassadors
General Abdourahmane Tchiani seized power in Niger in a coup in July
Source: picture alliance/dpa/ORTN/AP/Uncredited
A good month after the coup, the new rulers in Niger expelled the French ambassador. Documents initially suggested that the German diplomat Oliver Schnakenberg would also have to leave the country. However, these were apparently fakes.
DThe military government in Niger has asked the French ambassador in Niamey to leave the country within 48 hours. The authorities had decided to revoke Ambassador Sylvain Itte’s approval, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday. The French Foreign Ministry immediately rejected the decision – and denied those in power the authority.
France has taken note of the “demand” of the “putschists”, the ministry told the AFP news agency. It further stated verbatim: “The putschists have no authority to make this application, since the accreditation of the ambassador is carried out solely by the elected legitimate Nigerien authorities.”
Documents also circulated on Saturday night suggesting that the putschists had also expelled the German ambassador Oliver Schnakenberg from the country. AFP reported, citing a letter, that the diplomat was asked to leave the country “within 48 hours”. Shortly thereafter, Schnakenberg himself spoke up. On Twitter, he described the report as “fake news”. AFP later referred to forged documents that were apparently in circulation.
The military overthrew the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger on July 26 and took power in the country. France, in line with other Western and African states, does not recognize the new rulers.
Since the coup, the military representatives who came to power in Niger have accused Paris in particular of wanting to intervene militarily in Niger to reinstate Bazoum. They also claimed that the West African economic community Ecowas was a henchman of the former colonial power France.
Putschists point to “actions of the French government”
Those in power in Niger justified Itte’s expulsion with the French ambassador’s “refusal” to accept an invitation from the Nigerien Foreign Ministry for a meeting and other “actions by the French government that run counter to Niger’s interests”.
After the coup, Ecowas imposed far-reaching economic sanctions on the country and threatened military intervention to restore constitutional order. Before the coup d’état in Niger, France had actively supported President Bazoum’s government in its fight against jihadist militias. Around 1,500 French soldiers are still stationed in the country.
Note: An earlier version of this article stated that the military government in Niger had expelled the German ambassador. This information was wrong. We apologize for the error.