2023-09-02 16:05:40
Anti-French sentiment is hardly fading in Niger. Again this Saturday, several thousand Nigeriens protested in Niamey against the presence of French armed forces in Niger. This rally was thus held near a Nigerien military base housing French soldiers, at the call of several coalitions of civil society. “French army, get out of here! “, could we read in particular on the sign of a demonstrator.
Since the July 26 coup, numerous demonstrations demanding the departure of the French army, regularly bringing together thousands of people, have taken place in the capital Niamey. Diplomatic tensions are at their height between the military regime in power and France, which refuses to recognize their legitimacy.
On August 3, the generals who took power in a coup had denounced several military agreements with France, which has 1,500 soldiers deployed in the anti-jihadist fight in Niger. The agreements all contained different notices for their effective end, one of which, relating to a 2012 text, was one month, according to the military.
Niamey demands the departure of the French ambassador
Niger has also withdrawn the immunity and diplomatic visa of French Ambassador Sylvain Itté and demanded his “expulsion”, according to an order from the Ministry of the Interior dated Thursday and an order from the High Court of Niamey. of Friday, consulted by AFP.
According to this last document, these decisions are notably justified by France’s “unjustified hostility” towards Niger and the fact that the presence of Sylvain Itté on Nigerien territory presents “serious risks of disturbing public order”.
On Monday, Emmanuel Macron had praised the work of Sylvain Itté and indicated that he was still stationed at the embassy in Niamey. According to Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the premises of an embassy are “inviolable” and agents of the state in which they are located are not permitted “to enter therein, except with the consent of the head of the mission”.
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