Niger is canceling its military partnership with the United States and telling around 1,000 American military personnel to exit the country. This surprising development happened after U.S. officials recently traveled to the capital of Niamey to express concerns about Niger becoming closer to Russia and Iran, as stated by the Pentagon on Monday.
The ruling military junta revoked a major agreement, known as the status of forces agreement, that allows U.S. forces in Niger. Officials from the Biden administration are aware of this and are seeking clarification through diplomatic channels, according to Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.
Just last week, a group from Washington, including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander, and U.S. Africa Command head Gen. Michael Langley, met with officials from Niger’s National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP).
“The U.S. delegation was there to discuss a number of concerns. We were troubled by the direction Niger is heading. These were direct and honest conversations to address our concerns and also to hear theirs,” stated Singh.
When asked about the U.S. concerns, Singh stated that officials were worried about Niger’s potential alliances with Russia and Iran.
Biden administration officials also expressed worries about whether Niger was close to reaching an agreement to allow Iran access to its uranium reserves. This information was reported by The Wall Street Journal..
The future of the U.S. military presence in Niger has been uncertain since a military junta placed the country’s president under house arrest and took control of the government in late July.
The State Department, which did not officially acknowledge the takeover as a coup until October, reduced U.S. assistance in the country but continued to permit humanitarian aid. Additionally, Washington paused security operations in Niger, where U.S. forces mainly support counterterrorism efforts in the region against an Islamist insurgency. However, following a recent pattern among countries in Africa’s western Sahel region, Niger seems to have turned to Russia as a partner over Western nations.The New York Times reported that Niger's military spokesman, Col. Amadou Abdramane, said on national television that the presence of American troops is against the constitutional and democratic rules, which should require the sovereign people, particularly through their elected officials, to be consulted on the installation of a foreign army on its territory.
This action is a significant setback for U.S. efforts in the Sahel, where it established a $110 million base in northern Niger just six years ago to operate surveillance drones.
Niger’s decision to expel American troops comes after France withdrew its forces from the country last year. Niger is cancelling its military partnership agreement with the United States and telling around 1,000 American military personnel to depart from the country, an unexpected event that occurred after U.S. officials recently visited the capital of Niamey to discuss several worries about Niger strengthening its ties with Russia and Iran, as stated by the Pentagon on Monday. The ruling military junta on…. He also said the presence of American troops “violates all the constitutional and democratic rules, which would require the sovereign people — notably through its elected officials — to be consulted on the installation of a foreign army on its territory.”
The development is a major setback for U.S. efforts in the Sahel, where just six years ago it opened a $110 million base in northern Niger used to fly surveillance drones.
Niger’s declared ousting of U.S. troops also follows France’s withdrawal of its forces from the country last year.
