Niger: The new military junta demands the departure of French troops from the country

 

The new authorities of Niger denounced in the night from Thursday to Friday, the military agreements which bind their country to France, thus asking for their departure following Mali and Burkina Faso, in a press release read on television. The French army deploys nearly 1500 soldiers in Niger.

"Faced with France's casual attitude and reaction to the internal situation prevailing in our country (Niger), the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland decides to denounce the cooperation agreements in the field of security and defense with that State, in particular:

1. The agreement of February 19, 1977 on technical military cooperation, in accordance with its article 12 and 3 months notice;

2. The agreement of May 25, 2013 relating to the legal regime of the intervention of French soldiers in Niger for security in the Sahel, in accordance with its point 7 and the one-month notice.

3. The agreement of July 19, 2013 on the status of French soldiers present in Niger as part of the French intervention for security in the Sahel, in accordance with its article 13 and the 6-month notice period;

4. The technical arrangement of January 2, 2015 relating to the stationing and activities of the French Joint Detachment on the territories of the Republic of Niger, in accordance with its article 13 and the 30-day notice;

5. The additional protocol of April 28, 2020 to the agreement of March 25, 2013 relating to the legal regime of French military intervention in Niger for security in the Sahel and to the agreement of July 19, 2013 on the status of the French soldiers present in Niger within the framework of the French intervention for security in the Sahel, determining the status of the non-French detachment of the force, in accordance with its article 4 and the 90-day notice".

Diplomatic correspondence will be sent to this effect.

Done in Niamey, August 3, 2023, signed by the President of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland, the President of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland, General Abdourahamane Omar Tiani (Tchiani).