Niger Republic has made a bold to terminate the agreement that allows the United States of America military personnel to move into its territory.
Niger’s military has termed the presence of the US military as illegal while ensuring that the orders take effect immediately. This order came after the exit of French soldiers from the West African country in December.
Niger’s military leaders swiftly terminated the Niger-US deal, effective immediately, signalling the conclusion of the US presence in the sub-Saharan nation.
This decision marks a setback for Washington, which had temporarily halted operations at Air Base 201 in Agadez after a coup in July and had been striving to maintain its crucial military asset in the region.
Speaking about the decision, the Spokesperson for the National Council for the Protection of the Homeland (CNSP), Colonel Amadou Abdramane said,
“The US presence on the territory of the Republic of Niger is illegal and violates all the constitutional and democratic rules which would require the sovereign people… to be consulted on the installation of a foreign army on its territory.”
The decision follows after a team of senior US officials led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee and US Africa Command head, General Michael Langley visited the West African country the previous week to discuss democratic transition.
The officials were also reportedly accused Niger of making a secret deal to supply uranium to Iran. These accusations were not taken lightly by the Niger present administration.
Abdramane accused the U.S. delegation of threatening them and referred to them as “condescending”
“When it comes to choosing diplomatic, strategic and military partners, the government of Niger regrets the willingness of the American delegation to deny the sovereign people of Niger the right to choose its partners and the types of partnerships likely to help it to truly fight terrorism.”
Upon the visit of the US officials, concerns were also raised by them about the allies that Niger had chosen. Abdramane said,
“The government of Niger therefore strongly denounces the condescending attitude combined with the threat of reprisals by the head of the American delegation against the government and the people of Niger.”
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What Does Niger Military’s Decision Mean For The U.S.?
The U.S. has a record of more than one thousand (1,000) soldiers and civilian employees in Niger and runs two drone bases to monitor affiliates of the Islamist groups Islamic State and al-Qaeda that are active in the Sahel, the semi-arid region south of the Sahara.
This decision means the U.S. no longer has an affiliation with Niger and can no longer monitor the activities of the nation.
According to reports from U.S officials,
“Niger is the center of US operations in west and north Africa, notably at its Air Base 201, the most expensive construction project ever undertaken by the US government. It’s there for war on terror operations but it’s there also for great power projection against countries like Russia and China.”
The construction project cost the U.S. government a huge sum of one hundred and ten million dollars ($110 million). This means the investment is wasted and can no longer be of use to the U.S. government.
In 2023, there were about one thousand, one hundred (1,100) U.S. soldiers in Niger.
Speaking about Niger’s governing military council by the initials CNSP, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on X that
“it was aware of the statement… which follows frank discussions at senior levels in Niamey this week about our concerns with the CNSP’s trajectory. We are in touch with the CNSP and will provide further updates as warranted.”
Abdramane went on to speak about the West African’s affiliation with Russia. He said
“Niger is dealing with the country to acquire military equipment necessary to its fight against the terrorists who have claimed thousands of innocent Nigerien victims under the indifferent eye of much of the international community”.
