2024-03-17 17:52:01
Everything indicates that the relationship between Niamey and Washington has just reached a breaking point which most certainly heralds the departure of the “boys” from Niger. The fatal blow was delivered live on Nigerien public television, on the evening of Saturday March 16, by Colonel Amadou Abdramane, spokesperson for the military in power. He denounced «with immediate effect the agreement relating to the status of United States military personnel and civilian employees of the United States Department of Defense in the territory of Niger”. Passed with Washington in 2012, he is now judged ” illegal “, so that nothing can justify the presence of American troops in their country!
A setback for the Joe Biden administration
Very bad news for the administration of Joe Biden which, after the coup d’état of July 26, 2023, fomented by General Tiani against the elected president Mohamed Bazoum, had suspended military cooperation with the Nigerien army, but had everything made to avoid rupture, dissociating itself from the French attitude considered too aggressive and intransigent.
For Washington, the challenge is twofold. It is first of all a question of saving its military system, certainly strategic but costly in this country. Firstly, its air base 201 installed on the outskirts of Agadez, nearly 1,000 km north of Niamey. Launched in 2013, opened in 2016 to be the main observation and intervention center in the Sahel, it is from there that, for example, American surveillance and combat drones of the MQ-9 Reaper type are deployed. There are also C-17 type wide-body aircraft there.
A true fortified city, this base extends over 25 square kilometers and is said to be occupied by at least 1,000 soldiers. It is the second largest American base in Africa after Djibouti. It cost the American taxpayer at least $100 million (€91.8 million), not counting operating costs which amount to several tens of millions of dollars per year. It is less known, but Washington also has a secret base run by the CIA in Dirkou (in the North), according to a revelation from New York Times, in 2018. The United States would conduct its special and secret operations there in the Sahel, mainly in Libya. The departure of American troops from Niger would therefore be a serious blow to their presence in the Sahel, would risk being little appreciated by the American taxpayer and would have every chance of being perceived as a political and diplomatic setback for Joe Biden, a few months before the presidential election.
The hand of Russia
The second reason why Washington wanted to spare the putschists was to not push them into the hands of Russia at a time when, on the continent, Moscow and its allies are deploying their strength and influence while driving the Western camp from its territory. . Especially since relations between the Nigerien military in power and Moscow are excellent.
During Prime Minister Lamine Zeine’s visit to Russia in January, the Russian military announced « intensifier » its military cooperation with Niger, only a month after the signing between the two countries of agreements related to security cooperation, the content of which remained secret.
General Tiani refused to meet the American delegation
Colonel Amadou Abdramane’s announcement came after the snub inflicted by the junta on the high-level American delegation sent to Niamey from March 12 to 14.
Led by Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, including the head of the US Africa Command (Africom), General Michael Langley, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Security Affairs international, Celeste Wallander, the delegation came to discuss the «return to the path of democracy and the future of (their) partnership in security and development. She left on the night of March 14 after waiting for more than a day, in vain, to be received by General Tiani.
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The American army in Africa
The United States military presence in Africa is led by the United States Africa Command (Africom), established by the United States Department of Defense in 2007 and operational in 2008.
According to an investigation by the American magazine The Interceptpublished in 2018, The United States reportedly holds a total of 34 military sites in Africa: 14 main bases and 20 camps and outposts.
Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti is their largest base. With a capacity to accommodate 4,000 soldiers, it can carry out operations against piracy in the Red Sea and against the Chebabs in Somalia.
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