Germany not to pull troops from Niger yet: Defense Minister
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Defense Minister Boris Pistorius says that if the French units withdraw the question of withdrawal will become acute.
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German troops in Niger as part of Operation Gazelle, undated photo (German Bundeswehr)
Germany has no immediate plans to withdraw its troops from Niamey, the Nigerien capital, according to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
"Niamey plays an important role for us in terms of logistics in neighboring Mali. It is always a good thing to maintain local contacts and not to fully withdraw as long as you don't have to," Pistorius said in an interview with Le Figaro.
According to the Minister, Germany's decision to keep troops on the ground was motivated by security concerns. According to him, if there was no good cause to stay and the hazards were too significant, the troops would depart.
"If the French units withdraw the question of withdrawal will become acute," he added.
Approximately 1,500 French soldiers are stationed in Niger, with the majority of them confined to the nation's military base in Niamey. Since the Nigerian military ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in late July, Germany has kept about 100 troops in the capital.
French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a strong stance against the coup, saying it is "completely illegitimate and profoundly dangerous, for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the whole region," considering that this event added to a series of revolts and coups that have impeded France's position in West Africa.
Before his meeting with French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Pistorius spoke to French media. The French minister will host his German counterpart for discussions on Thursday at an air base in western France.
The big picture
Burkina Faso's council of ministers has lately approved a bill to send a military contingent to Niger, the Burkina24 news portal reported.
According to the report, Ouagadougou approved the draft law authorizing the deployment of a Burkinabe military contingent to Niger, which falls in line with the country's strategic commitments.
The deployment of a military contingent to Niger would contribute to the fight against terrorism, Burkinabe Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly said, noting that Niamey's security was closely linked to that of Burkina Faso, the report added.
The coup leaders in Niger agreed to allow Mali and Burkina Faso to deploy armed forces to fend off any potential military aggression against Niamey.
The interim governments of Mali and Burkina Faso issued a joint statement saying the authorities of Burkina Faso and Mali, the two countries warned that any military intervention in Niger to restore deposed President Mohamed Bazoum would constitute a declaration of war against their own countries, adding that the consequences of a military intervention would destabilize the entire Sahel region.
After Burkina Faso and Mali, Niger is the third country in less than three years to be rocked by a military coup.
Just like those African leaders who were toppled by military juntas, Bazoum was also backed by Western powers.
