Nigerien police officers in front of the French embassy in Niamey, August 28, 2023. © AFP
The military junta in power in Niger has ordered the expulsion of the French ambassador in a letter addressed to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
Despite the position of the Quai d’Orsay, which had rejected the coup leaders’ request a few days ago to have the French ambassador leave Niger, the military junta in power ordered his expulsion from the country on Thursday, August 31, in a letter addressed to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In this letter dated August 29, the junta, which took power in a coup on July 26, informed the Quai d’Orsay that the question of the approval of the French Ambassador was “irrevocable” and that “the police services are instructed to proceed with his expulsion” from Niger.
“Therefore, at the end of the 48-hour deadline expiring on August 28, 2023, the individual no longer enjoys the privileges and immunities attached to his status as a member of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy,” the junta also wrote.
“The coup leaders do not have the authority to make this request, as the approval of the ambassador comes solely from the legitimate elected Nigerien authorities,” the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Reuters. “We are constantly assessing the security and functioning conditions of our embassy.”
On Monday, during the conference of ambassadors in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the French ambassador to Niger would remain in the country “despite the pressures.”
Last Friday, the Nigerien junta had given Ambassador Sylvain Itté 48 hours to leave the country.
With Reuters