In a recent development, Sylvain Itte, the French ambassador to Niger, has left the country. This departure comes just a month after the military government ordered his expulsion, according to a report by Reuters.
The situation escalated further when French President Emmanuel Macron announced not only Itte’s departure but also the withdrawal of French forces from Niger.
The tension between France, Niger’s former colonial power, and Niger began when Paris expressed its support for the overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum following the July coup. The military government in Niger, which took control in July 2023, accused France of deploying troops in various West African countries, allegedly in preparation for a “military intervention.”
Niger is also in conflict with the West African group Ecowas, which has pledged to take military action if diplomatic efforts to reinstate Bazoum prove unsuccessful.
On August 3, the leaders of the coup in Niger terminated several military cooperation agreements with Macron’s administration, despite approximately 1,500 French soldiers still being stationed there as part of a larger campaign against militants.
In September 2023, the Burkinabe parliament approved Captain Ibrahim Traore’s deployment of troops to neighboring Niger as a response to the potential foreign military intervention aimed at reinstating the ousted leader Bazoum. This decision followed the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The alliance’s objective is to collaborate in countering the risks of violent uprisings or external attacks.
All three countries are grappling with the challenge of containing fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The coup events have strained their relationships with regional allies and international partners.
