French closes Niger embassy until further notice

Paris on Tuesday said its embassy in Niamey, Niger’s capital, was now closed, confirming previously reported plans, after relations between the two countries deteriorated following a military coup in the African country in July 2023.

“For five months, our embassy has been severely hampered” by obstacles that have obstructed its diplomatic mission, a spokeswoman for the French foreign ministry said in a statement.

“A blockade around the embassy, travel restrictions for staff and the refusal to allow any diplomatic personnel to travel to Niger was a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” the statement continued.

The embassy’s closure – an extremely rare measure – was decided at the same time as the withdrawal of the last French soldiers deployed in Niger on December 22.

Paris and Niamey have had an acrimonious relationship since the military coup in July, which toppled President Mohamed Bazoum and has been seen as another major blow to French influence in the region after military takeovers in Mali in 2020 and Burkina Faso in 2022.

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Following the coup on July 26, the ruling military quickly demanded the departure of the 1,500 French soldiers deployed to combat jihadists and denounced several military agreements signed with Paris.

At the end of August, the military regime also ordered the expulsion of French ambassador Sylvain Itté who was trapped inside the embassy for almost a month before leaving.

Embassy activities will now be conducted from Paris, which will continue connections with French citizens in the region and support humanitarian NGOs.

“We will maintain links with French nationals on the ground, and with NGOs working in the humanitarian sector for the direct benefit of the most vulnerable populations,” the statement added.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)