French Troop Withdrawal and UN Coordinator Expulsion Heighten Niger’s International Strain
In a recent development, the military regime in Niger, which came to power after a coup in July, has ordered the United Nations coordinator, Louise Aubin, to leave the country within 72 hours. The government cited “obstacles” posed by the UN to its international recognition as the reason for this expulsion.
Approximately 1,000 French troops were stationed in Niamey, and an additional 400 were deployed at forward bases in the northwest, near Mali and Burkina Faso, a region known for insurgent activity. France had begun withdrawing its troops following orders from Niger’s military leaders.
The Nigerien foreign ministry issued a statement, dated Tuesday but seen by AFP on Wednesday, stating that Louise Aubin, a Canadian national, must leave Niamey within 72 hours. She had been serving as the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator in Niger since January 2021.
The military regime accused UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of presenting “obstacles” aimed at obstructing Niger’s full participation at the recent UN General Assembly in New York. The regime had already criticized Guterres for actions it deemed detrimental to resolving the crisis in Niger.
Bakary Yaou Sangare, Niger’s ambassador to the UN before the coup, was chosen by the new leaders to represent the country at the General Assembly. However, there was also an application from the overthrown government to represent Niger, leading to a deferral of the matter, and no representative from Niger was added to the speakers’ list. Sangare did not address the General Assembly.
In December, Burkina Faso, another neighboring country with a military junta in power, expelled the UN’s coordinator, Barbara Manzi, citing her decision to unilaterally withdraw non-essential UN staff from the capital Ouagadougou.
The Nigerien military regime confirmed the withdrawal of French troops on Tuesday, escorting the first convoy of soldiers from their base in Ouallam to Chad. Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, is approximately 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) from Niamey and serves as the base for French forces in the Sahel region.
Apart from the land withdrawal, Niger’s new rulers announced three special flights at the Niamey airport: two for the departure of “97 special forces elements” and one for logistics. The regime emphasized that the withdrawal would proceed according to a mutually agreed timetable.
This marks the third instance in 18 months where French troops have been removed from a former African colony, diminishing France’s influence on the continent and its international standing.
The French ambassador to Niger was also ordered to leave by the leaders of the coup that ousted the French-backed president in July. The United States declared the removal of Niger’s democratic government as a coup, emphasizing the need for the establishment of democratic governance in a prompt and credible manner for any resumption of US assistance.
While the United States maintains around 1,000 military personnel in Niger, they are no longer actively engaged in training or assisting Nigerien forces. Instead, they focus on monitoring threats from jihadist groups.
