The Council for the Safeguard of the Fatherland (CNSP), in power in Niger, announced yesterday that the withdrawal of French troops from the country will be completed on the 22nd of this month.
The CNSP declared that “this withdrawal process” has continued “in a coordinated and safe manner” since it began in October. So far, 1,346 French soldiers and 80% of the logistical equipment have left the country, leaving only 157 soldiers left, mainly responsible for logistics.
“The withdrawal in the coming days will complete the departure of the entire French contingent, in accordance with the calendar established jointly by Paris and Niamey”, according to a statement, in which the authorities considered that “the time has come to begin a new chapter in bilateral relations” to put Niger’s interests first.
Niger “is taking its destiny into its own hands and moving decisively towards peace and prosperity”, praising “the resilience of the courageous Nigerien people”, he added.
The departure of the French military was one of the first demands of the Nigerien authorities, following having come to power through a coup d’état more than four months ago, overthrowing the then-elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
The junta nullified bilateral defense agreements and blamed Paris for its role in the country’s deteriorating security.
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso are engaged in a process of distancing themselves from the former colonial power, France, until now the main supplier of military aid.
The three countries have been fighting Islamic armed groups for years, but they have an increasingly greater presence and territorial control. This instability contributed to the recent coups d’état in July (Niger), 2021 (Mali) and 2022 (Burkina Faso).
