The military rulers who took control of Niamey on July 26 have made a swift move by giving the French ambassador 48 hours to depart Niger.
The decision was announced by Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in a statement released on Friday.
The French ambassador, Sylvain Itte, was instructed to leave the country following his refusal to attend a meeting with the minister and actions by the French government that Niger deemed contrary to its interests.
This move highlights the strained relationship between Niger’s coup leaders and France, with the former accusing the latter of freeing captured “terrorists” and violating the country’s airspace to create instability.
Abdramane, a spokesperson for the military rulers, asserted that the country was witnessing a deliberate effort by French forces to destabilize Niger.
As a response to the coup, ECOWAS has imposed significant economic sanctions on Niger and has raised the possibility of using military force to restore constitutional order.
France has maintained a presence of about 1,500 troops in Niger to support counter-terrorism efforts against jihadist groups that have plagued the nation and the broader Sahel region for an extended period.
AFP