On Thursday, the Military Council in Niger announced that it has canceled several military cooperation agreements with France following the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum in a military coup last week.
The Council also declared the “termination” of the country’s ambassadors’ missions to France, the United States, Nigeria, and Togo.
The coup’s perpetrators stated they would respond “immediately” to any aggression or attempted aggression against their country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
One of the members of the military council stated that in response to France’s indifferent stance and reaction towards the situation in Niger, “The National Council for the Protection of the Homeland has decided to annul the cooperation agreements with this country in the field of security and defense.”
Furthermore, the military coup leaders in Niger announced the “termination” of their ambassadors’ missions to France, the United States, Nigeria, and Togo, as international pressures mount for a return to constitutional order in the country.
The Military Council stated that the “ordinary and accredited ambassadors of the Republic of Niger (…) to the French Republic, Nigeria, Togo, and the United States” have had their missions ended.
The coup’s perpetrators also declared that they would respond “immediately” to any aggression or attempted aggression against their country by ECOWAS, just three days before the organization’s deadline for the restoration of constitutional order in Niger.
The Military Council emphasized that “any aggression or attempted aggression against the state of Niger will be met with an immediate and unannounced response from Nigerien defense and security forces against any member (of the organization) except for friendly countries that have suspended their membership,” referring to Burkina Faso and Mali.
This comes as a delegation from ECOWAS arrived in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on Thursday in an attempt to find a way out of the crisis, eight days after the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
