- The declaration came just a day after a senior U.S. delegation left Niger, following a three-day visit to renew contact with the military junta that ousted the President and moved closer to Russia
Niger Republic’s military government has announced the end of an accord with the U.S. that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the Department of Defence to operate in in the country, a day after it ended high-level talks with U.S. diplomatic and military officials.
Niger military government Spokesperson, Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane, said in a statement on national television that “the government of Niger, taking into account the aspirations and interests of its people, decides with full responsibility to denounce with immediate effect the agreement relating to the status of military personnel of the United States and civilian employees of the American Department of Defense in the territory of the Republic of Niger.”
Abdramane added that the agreement between the two countries, signed in 2012, was imposed on Niger and had been in violation of the “constitutional and democratic rules” of the West African nation’s sovereignty.
“This agreement is not only profoundly unfair in its substance but it also does not meet the aspirations and interests of the Nigerien people,” he said.
Niger was once a key regional partner for the U.S. but relations deteriorated since the military junta took power on July 26, 2023 in what the U.S> formally designated later as a coup.
Since then, the U.S. has withdrawn many of its 1,100 troops who were stationed in the country.
Senior Pentagon officials believe that keeping a presence in Niger is vital to efforts to tackle terrorism in the region. In October, the Pentagon said it was still assessing how the change would impact approximately 1,000 US forces stationed in the country.
In a letter sent to Congress in December 2023, President Joe Biden noted that approximately 648 U.S. military personnel remain deployed to Niger.
The announcement of the end of the military pact came after a senior U.S. delegation’s three-day visit to Niger Republic this week.
Abdramane said that the U.S. delegation was received out of “courtesy” and “did not respect diplomatic practices” by not providing information regarding the date of its arrival, the composition of the delegation and the purpose of the visit.
During meetings, Nigerien and American officials discussed the military transition in Niger Republic and military cooperation between the two countries, Abdramane said.
“The government of Niger regrets the desire of the American delegation to deny the Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and the types of partnerships capable of helping them truly fight against terrorists,” Abdramane said.
Abdramane said Niger “forcefully denounces the condescending attitude” of the US.
“This attitude is likely to undermine the quality of our centuries-old relations and undermine the trust between our two governments,” he said.
He also rejected what he said were allegations of a secret deal made between Niger, Russia, and Iran.
Movements at the desert base built with $100 million have been limited since the July 2023 coup and Washington has curbed assistance to the government.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid a rare visit to Niger a year ago in hopes of shoring up President Mohamed Bazoum, a stalwart ally in Western security efforts against jihadists.
Just four months later, the military deposed Bazoum and put him under house arrest.
The junta took a hard line against former colonial power France, forcing the withdrawal of French troops in place for nearly a decade.
Niger’s military had in the past worked closely with the United States.
But the junta has sought cooperation with Russia, while stopping short of the full-fledged embrace of Moscow by military-run neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso.
The end of the pact shifts the focus on the increasingly close ties between Niger Republic and Russia. Already, Nigeria’s Northern neighbor is developing closer security cooperation with Russia, which could worsen the discontent between Niger and its regional allies, especially Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon.
Niger Republic has already left the G5 Sahel, which was set up to coordinate security operations in the Sahel. It has not only left the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), but has developed a lukewarm attitude to the regional Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJF).
The G% Sahel and MNJTF, which Niger Republic has been an active participant, were set up to fight terrorism in the region. Other countries in the MNJTF include Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic.
The ending of the pact with U.S. and Russia’s involvement with Niger Republic also puts a question mark on its relationship with the E.U. which is currently constructing a $13billion gas gas pipeline from Nigeria to the bloc through Niger Republic. The pipeline project was designed to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian gas.