In the aftermath of a coup, President Emmanuel Macron has said that France will revoke its ambassador and halt all military cooperation with Niger.
“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 coup that took over Niger in July applauded the decision.
“This Sunday we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger,” the junta said, in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.
After months of tension and protests against the French presence in Niger, particularly in the capital city of Niamey, Paris has made a significant decision. This decision has dealt a severe blow to France’s efforts against Islamist militants in the broader Sahel region and its influence in the area. President Macron, however, emphasized that France would not allow itself to be controlled by the coup leaders, stating this during interviews with France’s TF1 and France 2 television stations.
President Macron continued to recognize Mohamed Bazoum, the ousted President of Niger, who is currently being held captive by the coup leaders, as the legitimate authority of the country. He described Bazoum as a “hostage” of the situation and attributed the coup to his courageous reform efforts and a complex web of ethnic rivalries and political cowardice.
Niger is one of several former French colonies in West Africa where military takeovers have occurred recently, following similar incidents in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Chad. Gabon also experienced a coup in August.
Anti-French sentiment has been on the rise in the region, with local politicians accusing France of pursuing neocolonialist policies, a charge that France has consistently denied. There have also been concerns about the increasing influence of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group in the Sahel, which is accused of human rights abuses and has been cooperating with some of the newly established military regimes.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), with France’s support, has threatened military intervention in Niger to reinstate President Bazoum, but as of now, no action has been taken.
In response to the coup, Niger’s military leaders demanded the departure of French ambassador Sylvain Itte, but France refused to comply or recognize the legitimacy of the military regime, even after a 48-hour ultimatum issued in August.
President Macron’s statement comes shortly after the coup leaders in Niger banned “French aircraft” from flying over the country. Niger’s airspace, as noted by the regional air safety organization ASECNA, is now open to all national and international commercial flights except for French aircraft or those chartered by France, including those operated by Air France. Military, operational, and special flights will also require prior authorization to access the airspace. Air France confirmed that it is currently avoiding Niger’s airspace.