Rabat – Tensions between Niger’s ruling junta and France have escalated as the junta ordered the expulsion of France’s ambassador, Sylvain Itte, marking a concerning turn in bilateral relations. The move, which Paris authorities have deemed illegitimate, comes amid a wave of anti-French sentiment and a strategy adopted by the junta leaders that echoes neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, Reuters reported.
The coup, which saw army officers seize power in Niamey last month, has been met with widespread condemnation from African regional authorities and Western nations. West Africa’s regional body, ECOWAS, imposed sanctions on Niger following the coup, disrupting the flow of food and aid to one of the world’s poorest countries. The bloc has also raised the possibility of military intervention if diplomatic efforts to restore democracy through dialogue prove futile.
In a statement, the junta declared the cancellation of visas for Ambassador Sylvain Itte and his family and instructed the police to expel him from the country. The junta justified its decision by arguing that France’s actions in the country since the military coup have been “contrary to the interests of Niger.” These actions allegedly included Ambassador Itte’s refusal to meet with Niger’s new foreign minister.
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Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who currently chairs ECOWAS, expressed concern over the military takeover in Gabon this week, warning against the normalization of a growing trend of such coups in the region. While he emphasized that military intervention should be a last resort in Niger, he underscored the importance of using diplomatic pressure. “If we don’t wield the big stick, we will all suffer the consequences together,” the Nigerian and ECOWAs president stressed.
As the former colonial power in the region, France has called for the reinstatement of Niger’s ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, and pledged support for ECOWAS’ efforts to overturn the coup.
France had previously made Niger a key hub for counter-insurgency operations against an Islamist insurgency in the Sahel region, maintaining approximately 1,500 troops in the country to support local military forces.
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