Niger bans French aircraft from its airspace: Aviation authority
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Military authorities in Niger revealed that Niger's airspace was "open to all national and international commercial flights except for French aircraft or aircraft chartered by France, including those of the airline Air France."
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Niger's military authorities announced the airspace would remain blocked to all military, operational, and other special flights (AFP)
According to the website of the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), Niger's military authorities have prohibited French aircraft from flying through the country's airspace.
See this: Anti-French sentiment on the rise in Africa
A Saturday announcement revealed that Niger's airspace was "open to all national and international commercial flights except for French aircraft or aircraft chartered by France, including those of the airline Air France."
The airspace will stay blocked to "all military, operational, and other special flights" until prior authorization is obtained, according to the notice. Air France confirmed to AFP it would not fly over the country.
Anti-France sentiment has been growing in Africa, and earlier, a Nigerien court ordered the expulsion of French Ambassador Sylvain Itte following a petition from the country's post-coup authorities.
However, Emmanuel Macron announced that the ambassador would remain in the country despite the pressure.
The French performing arts sector was profoundly shaken on Thursday, September 14, when all subsidized cultural institutions were notified that they are required to "suspend, until further notice, all cooperation with the following countries: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso."
The junta in Niger announced on September 4 that it had resumed permitting commercial flights in the country's airspace. This airspace had been sealed off since July 26 when Nigerien military officers ousted President Mohamed Bazoum's government.
Former Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown and detained in late July by the military junta led by Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former commander of the country's Presidential Guard.
The Western-allied Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), promised military interference to reinstate Bazoum by force if the junta did not do so by August 6. However, with the passing of more than a month beyond the deadline, Bazoum remains detained, while ECOWAS has toned down its statements on Niger and the ruling junta, hoping for a peaceful solution.
Niger's airspace was initially reopened on August 2 but was subsequently closed again on August 6 due to concerns about a potential invasion by ECOWAS.
France has repeatedly supported the West African bloc, and relations between Paris and Niamey have been at an all-time low since the coup.
