Future of relations with France up to Nigerien people: Junta chief

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Oct 2023 00:14
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In an interview for Télé Sahel, the leader of the military junta in Niger says the French military presence in the Sahel has failed to achieve its mission in the region.

Nigeriens participate in a march called by supporters of coup leader General. Abdourahmane Tchiani, pictured, in Niamey, Niger, July 30, 2023. (AP)

The presence of French forces in Niger has come to an end, the country's military junta leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, told Télé Sahel.

The leader further emphasized that future relations with France will be determined by Nigerien citizens themselves

"The people of Niger will now dictate the shape of future relations with France," he declared in two interviews in local dialects, one in Djerma, the other in Haoussa.

France's troops, which were [allegedly] deployed in West Africa to fight terrorists, have failed their mission, Tchiani said.

Instead, the number of terrorists in the region has increased despite French military presence, prompting Niger's Armed Forced to prepare themselves for the expected French departure.

"Not only have they failed to defeat terrorism, but there are even more terrorists [...] Since the French were there to fight terrorism and they unilaterally stopped cooperating with us, their stay in Niger is coming to an end."

General Abdourahamane Tchiani

The Nigerien leader said, "If we closed our eyes to" France's failure, the "country risked disappearing one day, so we decided to take action since [Nigerien politicians] weren't listening to their military advisors," he stressed.

Tchiani also slammed the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which imposed political and economic sanctions on Niger and threatened with military interference.

The organization "did not even try" to "find out the reasons" for the coup, Tchiani revealed, adding that "the [Nigerien] population is suffering from the embargo (imposed by Western-backed ECOWAS)."

He also revealed that an economic agreement will follow the previously signed military cooperation agreements with Burkina Faso and Mali; the two countries that stood by Niger amid Western and ECOWAS threats of war.

According to TRT Français, the Nigerien leader did not conduct the interview in French, the official language of Niger, which is also a former French colony. However, Tchiani spoke in two local dialects during the interviews.

On July 26, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani led a coup d'état in Niger, ousting and detaining the Western-backed ex-President Mohamed Bazoum.

France condemned the coup and reiterated its support for the "legitimate government" of Niger. The coup leaders halted gold and uranium exports to France and blocked French media in response.

In mid-August, they demanded that French forces withdraw from Niger by early September, as mass rallies spurred up in support of the junta's demands.

On August 3, the military government of Niger announced that it was scrapping all military agreements with France, while France rejected the move, saying that only the legitimate government of Niger can make such a decision.

Earlier on Wednesday, the foreign ministry of France confirmed to AFP that the ambassador to Niger, Sylvain Itte, landed in Paris on Wednesday after being forced out of Niger, as its forces are expected to follow suit soon.