Germany has officially concluded the withdrawal of its troops from Niger, as the last group of German soldiers departed from their military base in Niamey. This move follows the failure of negotiations between the Nigerien military junta and Germany to extend the presence of German forces in the country.
The withdrawal of German soldiers and their equipment comes on the heels of the French military’s exit at the end of 2023, with the U.S. military expected to follow suit by September 15, 2024.
Chief of Staff of the Nigerien Army, Maman Sani Kiaou, stated that five cargo planes transported 60 German soldiers and 146 tons of equipment, according to local media reports. The soldiers left Niamey military base immediately after a ceremonial event held to mark the occasion.
Kiaou emphasized that “this withdrawal is a direct result of the inability of both parties to agree on extending the German military presence… but this does not signify the end of military cooperation between our nations.”
It is worth noting that Germany announced on July 6 that it would cease using its airbase in Niger, with plans to withdraw its troops by August 31, 2024.
The German forces have left their base in Niger, valued at approximately €130 million, after eight years during which they trained and equipped Niger’s special forces as part of security coordination and cooperation between the two countries.
