The putschists in power in Niamey demanded the departure of the diplomat at the end of August. They had withdrawn his immunity and his visa, but Paris has so far refused to recall him.
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The French ambassador to Niger, Sylvain Itté, left Niamey early Wednesday September 27, and landed in Paris a little later in the day, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This return to French soil comes three days after the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, announced on Sunday the repatriation of the ambassador. A departure that the military regime, which overthrew the President Mohamed Bazoum at the end of July,had been demanding for several weeks.
>> Coup d’état in Niger: why Emmanuel Macron finally decided to repatriate the ambassador and withdraw French troops
Sunday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron, who also announced the withdrawal of the 1,500 soldiers present in Niger to fight against the jihadists, also mentioned the return to Paris of Sylvain Itté “in the next few hours.” The next day, the Nigerien regime which came to power through a putsch said it was waiting “that this declaration be followed by official acts emanating from the competent French authorities”.
The military had been demanding the departure of the French ambassador since the end of August. They had withdrawn his diplomatic immunity and visa, but Paris has so far refused to recall him. France has affirmed since the coup that it does not recognize the legitimacy of the military in power and that its interlocutor remains the ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.