France announced on Friday that it would close its embassy “for an indefinite period” in Niamey, the capital of Niger. This new stage further separates the two countries, whose relations have been strained since the coup d’état last July.
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France has completed its military withdrawal from Niger, in accordance with the request of the ruling junta in Niamey. Furthermore, Paris announced Friday December 22 that it will close its embassy in Niamey. This is indeed the break between the two countries, and it is not a surprise. It had been in the pipeline for several months already, as the tension had been great between France and Niger since the coup d’état which overthrew President Bazoum at the beginning of the summer.
On September 22, Emmanuel Macron announced the complete withdrawal of all French troops deployed in the country, whose situation was becoming untenable on the ground. This departure was demanded by the ruling junta. Equipment and soldiers have therefore been evacuated in recent weeks by air to France, and by road to neighboring Chad.
It is a divorce which weakens the fight against jihadism in the region since this break with Niamey comes after the French military withdrawals from Mali and Burkina Faso. Present in the Sahel since 2013, France had deployed up to 5,500 soldiers within Operation Barkhane. Paris had obtained the deployment of European special forces, with the support of the Americans who provided intelligence and logistical support. The latter still maintain a drone base in the country in Agadez.
The framework for French military action in Africa is therefore shrinking dramatically. The last two points of support for the French army remain Chad with its N’Djamena air base, and Benin.
Russian influence grows in the region
It is also a sign of the decline of French political influence in the Sahel, since this military withdrawal is accompanied by the closure of the French embassy in Niamey. And, extremely rare, this measure had not been implemented with Mali and Burkina Faso even though these two countries are also led by juntas, with whom relations are also very tense.
This erasure of France in the Sahel coincides with the rise of Russian influence. A defense agreement was signed in early December between the ruling junta in Niger and Moscow. At the same time, Nigerien generals denounced military cooperation agreements with the European Union. For their part, Mali and Burkina Faso have also moved closer to the Russians and are turning their backs on the West.