Niger junta expels French ambassador.
On Friday, August 25, the Niger junta ordered the French envoy to leave the country within 48 hours, the foreign ministry said. The statement said the decision to expel Ambassador Sylvain Itte was partly due to his refusal to accept an invitation to meet Nigeria's foreign minister on Friday.
The communiqué also mentions “actions by the French government contrary to the interests of Niger” without elaborating on them. On July 26, the country's military rulers overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.In early August, the junta announced that it would break several military cooperation agreements with France under the ousted president. France, ECOWAS and the UN, among others, have called for the reinstatement of the bazoum.
Instead, the junta-appointed a new government and said it would democratically rule the country again within three years. The Niamey regime accuses Paris of planning a military intervention in the country to restore Bazoum to power. They also said that ECOWAS' West African bloc "is on France's paycheck".France is the former colonial ruler of Niger. France sends 1,500 troops to support President Bazoum in his fight against terrorism that has destabilized large parts of the Sahel. develop
Niger's junta has taken a bold step by ordering the French ambassador, Sylvain Itte, to leave the country within 48 hours, a move that deepens diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The decision was announced on Friday (August 25) by Niger's foreign ministry.
The expulsion order stemmed from a combination of factors.
One key reason cited in the official statement was the French ambassador's refusal to attend a scheduled meeting with Niger's minister of foreign affairs on the specified date. This refusal to engage in diplomatic discussions was viewed as a breach of established protocols.
Furthermore, the statement pointedly referenced "actions by the French government contrary to Niger's interests." Unfortunately, the statement did not provide explicit details regarding these actions. The lack of elaboration leaves room for speculation about the specific incidents or policy decisions that led to this heightened tension between the junta and the French government.
This expulsion comes in the wake of the military junta's removal of President Mohamed Bazoum from power on July 26. The junta's subsequent decision to sever various military cooperation agreements with France, which had been established during Bazoum's presidency, added another layer of complexity to the diplomatic relationship.
International entities, including France, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations (UN), have all called for the reinstatement of President Bazoum. The junta, however, has chosen a different path. Instead of complying with these calls, they have established a new government and announced their intention to guide the country back to democratic governance within a span of three years.
Niamey's current leadership has openly accused France of orchestrating a potential military intervention aimed at restoring Bazoum to power. In addition, the junta has accused the West African bloc ECOWAS of being under the influence of France, implying that the organization is acting in favour of French interests.
Notably, France maintains historical ties with Niger as its former colonial ruler. In recent times, France has been actively involved in countering terrorism in the Sahel region, deploying around 1,500 troops to support President Bazoum's efforts to combat terrorist groups that have significantly destabilized the area.
The expulsion of the French ambassador underlines the ongoing complexity and uncertainty surrounding Niger's political landscape, its diplomatic relations with key international players like France, and the junta's vision for the country's future governance. This incident further underscores the need for diplomatic efforts to address tensions and find constructive resolutions to the challenges facing Niger.