2023-08-01 12:45:19
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on the evacuation of the more than 70 Spaniards who are present in Niger after the coup last week. In recent days, members of the Spanish embassy in the African country have contacted the nationals to coordinate the evacuation operation.
The evacuation will be carried out by air in the absence of commercial flights after the closure of airspace in Niger. Other European countries are also evacuating their citizens.
France has reported that the work to get its nationals out of the country will begin this Friday and has announced that “European citizens who wish to leave the country” will be able to join it. The Government of France estimates that French civilians in Niger amount to between 500 and 600 people
“Given the situation in Niamey, the acts of violence perpetrated the day before yesterday against our embassy and the closure of airspace, which leaves our compatriots unable to leave by their own means, France is preparing the evacuation of its nationals and European citizens who wish to leave the country. This evacuation will begin today,” the French Foreign Ministry said.
Italy, with around a hundred civilians, has made the same decision. “The Italian Government has decided to offer our fellow citizens in Niamey the possibility of leaving the city on a special flight to Italy,” the Vice President of the Italian Government and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, announced on Tuesday on his social networks.
The Economic Community of West African States (Cedeao) gave an ultimatum to the coup leaders in Niger on July 30, declaring that it does not rule out the use of force if the deposed president is not released and returned to power within a week, Mohamed Bazoum. The military juntas of Burkina Faso and Mali have claimed that any foreign military intervention would be a “declaration of war” for them.
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