Paris refuses to remove its military forces from Niger

With Niger’s “legitimate authorities,” France has promised to uphold any military agreements.

Despite calls from the former colony’s recently installed junta for the agreements to be cancelled, France insisted on carrying through five military cooperation agreements with Niger because they were made with the West African state’s “legitimate authorities.”

In a statement released on Friday, the French foreign ministry stated that the agreements reached with the legitimate Niger authorities form the legal foundation for France’s defence cooperation with Niger. “France and the rest of the world only recognise these,” the statement reads.

The announcement comes in response to a statement made on Thursday by Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the military coup leaders who deposed Mohammad Bazoum, the democratically elected president of Niger, last week. He said the junta was unilaterally terminating the military pacts with its previous colonial rulers.

Two days after his forces deposed Bazoum’s government, Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former commander of the presidential guard in Niger, proclaimed himself the leader of the interim government.

The 1,000–1,500 troops France has stationed in the African nation would need to be removed if the military agreements were to be terminated. An insignificant number of American soldiers are also stationed in Niger, which is seen as having geopolitical significance due to its abundant mineral riches and borders with seven nations, including Libya, Chad, and Nigeria.

Since 2012, the US has given the poorest country in the world, Niger, around $500 million in military assistance, the most of any nation in the region. Several of Niger’s western backers have halted aid initiatives in the wake of the coup last week. About half of Niger’s annual budget is made up of foreign aid.

The Netherlands, the newest western country to renege on agreements struck with the former government of Niger, said in a statement on Friday that it did not want to encourage coup plotters. The Hague announced that it will, instead, redirect funds to Niger through humanitarian operations planned by the UN or other international organisations.

Paris, meanwhile, declared on Thursday that it strongly disapproves of Niger’s decision to suspend French news outlets RFI and France 24. According to a statement on the website of the foreign ministry, the junta’s decision to censor French media in the nation amounted to “authoritarian repression.”

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a West African bloc, will get support from France’s foreign ministry to guarantee the military coup fails, the ministry of foreign affairs of France said on Saturday. The possibility of an ECOWAS military intervention in Niger must be regarded “very seriously,” according to Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, if the coup leaders do not cede control by Sunday.