2023-12-12 23:33:35
“By December 22, all French soldiers as well as their logistical (equipment) will have definitively left Niger,” indicate the Niger Armed Forces in their press release. The army specifies that “the process of disengagement of French troops is continuing so far in a coordinated and safe manner”.
“1,346 French people and 80%” of logistical equipment “were disengaged outside our borders. To date, there are only 157 French soldiers left on our territory, including 75 logisticians,” detailed the Nigerien national television news on Tuesday evening.
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The departure of French soldiers was demanded by Nigerien generals after they came to power in a coup d’état on July 26. They then denounced several military agreements concluded with France. At the end of September, after a standoff with the Niamey regime, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a withdrawal of soldiers by December 31.
The links gradually broken
A first convoy of French soldiers left the country on October 10. Since the coup d’état that overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s generals in power have gradually broken the ties established by the deposed regime with certain Western partners.
At the beginning of December, Niamey announced that it was putting an end to two European Union (EU) security and defense missions, civil and military, in the country, at a time when the ruling military was welcoming a Russian delegation. At the same time, Niger has been cooperating since the coup with Burkina Faso and Mali, also led by the military. The three countries are prey to jihadist violence.
At the end of a summit on Sunday in Abuja, other West African countries united within ECOWAS maintained their heavy economic and financial sanctions imposed on Niger after the July 26 coup, conditioning their relief on a “short transition” in particular.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, who attended the summit, was in Niamey on Tuesday, leading a delegation that met with Niger’s military-appointed Prime Minister, Ali Mahaman. Lamine Zeine, according to Nigerien radio.
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