The military junta that took power in that African nation ordered the police to throw out the diplomat. The president of France had declared that his ambassador would continue in his post.
The military junta of niger ordered the police to expel the French ambassadora measure that supposes a new deterioration of relations and that, according to the Parisian authorities, the officials of the Army who seized power in Niamey last month they had no authority to take.
The coup leaders follow the strategy of the juntas of neighboring countries Mali and Burkina Faso to distance itself from the region’s former colonial power amid a wave of anti-french sentiment.
Visas have been canceled French ambassador in Niamey, Sylvain Itteand his family, and the police have instructions to expel the envoy, the board reported in a statement dated August 29 and confirmed as authentic this Thursday by its communication officer.
The instigators of the coup, condemned by the African regional authorities and by Western nations, last Friday ordered Itte to leave the country within 48 hours in response to what they called France’s actions “contrary to the interests of Niger”.
Among the actions is the refusal of the envoy to respond to an invitation to meet with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger.
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Military coup in Niger
France has asked for the reinstatement of the president Mohamed Bazoum and has stated that it will support the efforts of the regional bloc of West Africa ECOWAS to cancel the blow.
France has made of Niger the cornerstone of counterinsurgency operations against an Islamist movement in the region of sahel which has killed thousands of people in the last ten years, with some 1,500 soldiers in the country supporting the local Army.
Paris has not officially recognized the junta’s decision to revoke the bilateral military agreements, claiming that they had been signed with the “legitimate authorities” of Niger.
Meanwhile, the president Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the ambassador would stay in the country and reiterated the support of France to Bazoum.
Source: Ambito
