Macron announces the “orderly” departure of the French army in Niger

The President of France, Emmanuel Macronannounced this Sunday “an orderly departure by the end of the year” of the French military contingent in Nigerestimated at about 1500 soldiers, due to the coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum in July and putting a military junta in charge of the country.

In an interview with TF1 and France 2, Macron indicated that France will be “always available” to help Africa in the fight against jihadist terrorismas long as this is at the request of democratically elected governments or regional organizations.

“France-Africa is over (a geopolitical concept that reflected the influence of Paris in its former African colonies), when coups take place, we do not intervene,” he stated.

As of 2022, Niger has hosted much of the country’s remaining troops French anti-jihadist operation Barkhanethat had been brought over from Mali, where a Russian-affiliated military junta in power flatly rejected the French presence on its territory.

‘We went there because Niger asked us, Burkina Faso and Mali, to help them combat terrorism on their territory. Today, these countries have become victims of coups. “Today I spoke with President Bazoum, who is now in prison for implementing ambitious reforms,” Macron says.

France, he added, “has decided put an end to military cooperation with NigerThe French head of state has announced that the French ambassador to Niger will “return” to Paris in “the coming hours”.

The French contingent in Niger, a country where France also has economic interests in uranium, is distributed in the capital, Niameyin Ouallamto the north, and in Ayorounear the border with Mali.