Niger‘s military regime has stated its desire to establish a “negotiated framework” with Paris to coordinate the withdrawal of French troops.
The leaders of the regime were responding to the announcement made by French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday. Macron declared that French troops would withdraw by the end of the year, and the French ambassador to Niger would depart immediately.
The regime has expressed its expectation of “official acts” from the French authorities following this announcement. However, there is no indication yet that the French ambassador, Sylvain Itté, has vacated the residence in Niamey. Macron had stated on Sunday that Itté would return to Paris “within the next few hours.”
Call for French Withdrawal: Following the coup in July, which ousted the elected president Mohamed Bazoum, the regime’s leaders demanded in August that French troops withdraw. This call came in the midst of growing anti-French sentiment following the coup.
The military leaders characterised the presence of French soldiers as “illegal” and insisted on their departure, along with that of Ambassador Itté.
An End to Military Cooperation: France has announced the termination of its military cooperation with Niger, citing the new leadership’s reluctance to combat terrorism. Niger has been plagued by miliant violence for years, with attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates.
Until the coup, Niger was France’s last ally in the Sahel region. However, the nation continues to grapple with a dire security situation. The region has witnessed a surge in violence, as reported by the NGO ACLED, with militant groups capitalizing on political instability.
Niger became the third country to experience a coup, following Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which also demanded the withdrawal of French forces. In the first month after the Nigerien coup, political violence increased by 42% compared to the preceding month.