Niamey authorities have made the decision to cancel an agreement with the United States, allowing American military personnel and Pentagon contractors to operate in the West African state, as announced by a spokesperson for the post-coup government on national television.
Colonel Amadou Abdramane, the spokesperson, stated that the National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland officially denounced the military cooperation agreements with the US, severing the ties between the two countries.
This move follows a recent visit by a senior US delegation, including General Michael Langley, to Niger, where they attempted to negotiate a renewal of the deal but failed to secure a meeting with the country’s leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani.
Abdramane expressed Niger’s regret over the American delegation’s attempt to interfere with the country’s sovereignty and its right to choose its partners in the fight against terrorism, accusing the US team of breaching diplomatic protocols.
The new government in Niger, established after the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum, has been actively cutting ties with former military partners, citing the failure to combat terrorism in the Sahel region as a reason for the military takeover and subsequent actions.
