France has announced its decision to end its military cooperation with Niger and withdraw its 1,500 troops that were engaged in countering Islamist rebels in the Sahel region. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the troops would withdraw by the end of the year following a coup that took place in Niger in July. This move significantly impacts France’s counter-terrorism efforts in the Sahel and its influence in the region.
However, Macron made it clear that France, as the former colonial power in Niger, would not permit the putschists to hold it hostage and refused to recognize them as the legitimate authority in the country. He mentioned that the country would consult the putschists to ensure a peaceful transition.
As part of the withdrawal, France also recalled its ambassador from Niger, who will return to the country soon. French influence in its former colonies in West Africa has been diminishing in recent years, coinciding with growing public opposition. Following coups in those countries, neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso have expelled French forces, reducing France’s role in the fight against Islamist insurgencies across the region.
Niger had been a crucial security partner for both France and the United States before the coup, serving as a base for their efforts to combat Islamist insurgency in the broader Sahel region of West and Central Africa.
France’s military base in Niger’s capital, Niamey, became a focal point for anti-French protests since the July coup. Demonstrators regularly gathered outside the base to demand the departure of French troops. Macron confirmed his support for democratically elected President Mohammed Bazoum, whom the coup leaders currently hold, as the legitimate leader of Niger.
