As a specialist in writing blog articles, I am here to offer you interesting and captivating content on current news. Today, our subject concerns the ongoing “exchanges” between the Nigerien and French armies to facilitate the movement of French military assets in Niger.
Since the coup d’état which took place at the end of July in Niger, the generals in power have demanded the departure of French soldiers present on their territory. In response to this request, discussions were initiated between the two parties to address the concerns of the Nigerien generals.
The French authorities indicated that “discussions on the withdrawal of certain military elements” were underway, without specifying which unit was concerned among the 1,500 French soldiers deployed in Niger. The Ministry of the Armed Forces particularly highlights the question of maintaining certain forces responsible for maintaining unused equipment on site since the suspension of anti-terrorist cooperation after the coup d’état.
Some reports also mention “functional coordination exchanges” between the military of the two countries to facilitate the movements of French military assets immobilized since the suspension of cooperation.
The Nigerien Prime Minister appointed by the ruling military declared during a press conference that discussions were underway to obtain the withdrawal of French soldiers. He also expressed the hope of maintaining cooperation with France, a country with which Niger has shared many things in the past.
It is important to emphasize that France, as a former colonial power, has not yet recognized the new Nigerien authorities and is currently maintaining its ambassador and its soldiers there, despite the injunctions of the generals in power.
The French military presence in Niger is mainly focused on a planned air enclave in Niamey, as well as two advanced posts in the Three Borders area between Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, a region known to harbor jihadist groups.
These ongoing discussions between the Nigerien and French armies raise important questions about the future of military cooperation between the two countries. It will be interesting to follow the evolution of the situation and to see how these exchanges will succeed and affect the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region.
In conclusion, the “exchanges” between the Nigerien and French armies on the withdrawal of certain French military elements in Niger demonstrate the diplomatic and political tensions that exist between the two countries following the coup d’état. These discussions are crucial in determining the future of military cooperation and the fight against terrorism in the region. It remains to be seen how these exchanges will play out and what the long-term consequences will be.