Niger junta demands 'negotiated framework' for French army withdrawal
3 Min Read
Niger's military leaders say the timeframe for the French pullout must be set out in a negotiated framework and by mutual agreement.
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French soldiers of the 2e Regiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2eREP - 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment) prepare for a mission on the French BAP air base, in Niamey, on May 14, 2023 (AFP)
Niger's military junta is demanding a "negotiated framework" for former colonial ruler France to withdraw its troops, which Paris claims will be completed by the end of the year.
The Nigerien leaders indicated in a statement read out on national TV late on Monday that the timeframe for the pullout "must be set out in a negotiated framework and by mutual agreement."
It came almost two months after the overthrow of Niger's Western-backed President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Paris would withdraw its ambassador from Niger, followed by French troops in the coming months -- both demands of the new Nigerien leadership.
Macron announced that France's military cooperation with Niger was "over" and French troops would withdraw in "the months and weeks to come" with a full pullout "by the end of the year."
France keeps about 1,500 soldiers in its former West African colony under the pretext of fighting terrorist insurgencies in the Sahel Region.
The coup against Bazoum was the third in the region in as many years, following similar actions in Mali and Burkina Faso in 2021 and 2022. They too forced the pullouts of French troops.
Macron claimed on Sunday that Niger's junta "no longer wanted to fight against terrorism."
Niger's rulers, who have welcomed the announcement by France, said they were waiting for it to be followed up by official actions from the French authorities.
France has not recognized the authority of the military leaders and is still demanding Bazoum's restoration.
On August 3, the junta renounced several military cooperation agreements with France, before deeming the presence of French troops on its soil as "illegal".
Later that month, it ordered France's Ambassador Sylvain Itte to leave the country. Paris responded by saying that only Bazoum's deposed government could order him out.
Niger has welcomed Macron's announcement on Sunday as "a new step towards sovereignty."
"This is a historic moment, which speaks to the determination and will of the Nigerien people," the junta indicated in a statement, read out on national television.
Tens of thousands of people have joined demonstrations and gatherings in the Niger capital Niamey in recent weeks calling for the withdrawal of French troops from the country.
The United States, which has some 1,100 military personnel in Niger, has said it will "evaluate" its future steps following France's announcement.
Read more: As anti-French sentiment grows, France forced out of 4 African nations
