According to Ali Lamine Zeine, France’s forces are still present in Niamey “illegally” despite last month’s accord cancellation by the new military government.
According to Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, who was appointed by the military after a coup in July, Niger anticipates a speedy evacuation of French forces after relations between France and the West African nation worsened.
Zeine informed reporters in the nation’s capital Niamey on Monday that “the government has already revoked the agreements that allow the French troops to operate on our territory.”
The French military are in Niger “illegally,” he declared, adding that “talks are underway, which should allow for a swift withdrawal.”
After being asked to leave by Burkina Faso’s military authorities, Paris withdrew its troops early this year. France also withdrew its forces from Mali as a result of hostilities with the military administration there following a coup in 2020.
Since President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown on July 26, protests demanding the French Army’s departure from Niamey have grown.
French forces had been fighting jihadist terrorists in the Sahel region thanks to military accords that had been cancelled earlier in the month by Niger’s coup leaders, leaving the former colonial power only one month to withdraw its 1,500 troops.
The military authorities have also commanded the “immediate expulsion” of Sylvain Itte, the French ambassador, after he refused to meet with the military authorities, whom France has consistently referred to as “illegitimate.”
The directives to withdraw its troops and envoy have been disobeyed by Paris, which has instead voiced support for ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) sanctions and a potential military intervention to reinstate Bazoum’s authority.
In case of heightened tensions in Niger, the French military allegedly issued a warning on Friday that it was prepared to intervene and protect its base and diplomatic facilities.
On Monday, the prime minister chosen by the military claimed that not all of ECOWAS’s members supported military intervention.
Zeine was quoted by Bloomberg as saying, “Of the 15 ECOWAS members, maybe three or four are in favour of a military intervention.” If necessary, we are prepared to defend ourselves and have all the necessary dispositions in place.
But he went on to say that the new leaders, whose request for a three-year transition was turned down by ECOWAS, “have hopes of reaching an agreement” with the group in the “coming days.”
