The US plans to send a delegation to Niger this Thursday to engage in direct discussions with officials in Niamey about the withdrawal of over 1,000 American military personnel stationed in the country.
This decision follows Niger’s military junta, which came to power by overthrowing the president last year, announcing in March the termination of its military cooperation agreement with the United States.
Last week, the U.S. confirmed its agreement to withdraw its forces and announced the impending dispatch of a delegation to Niamey.
The delegation will include U.S. Ambassador to Niger Kathleen FitzGibbon and U.S. Africa Command’s Major General Ken Ekman.
They are set to meet with representatives of the military government on April 25 to begin discussions on a structured and responsible exit of U.S. forces, according to a statement from the State Department on Wednesday.
Additional meetings are scheduled for next week by other Defense Department officials in Niamey, and Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell is expected to visit in the near future to explore continued cooperation in mutual areas of interest, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller revealed.
Miller emphasized the United States’ pride in its security partnership and the “shared sacrifice” with Nigerien forces that has contributed to regional stability.
However, he noted that since negotiations began last year with the National Committee for Safeguarding the Homeland (CNSP), the U.S. has struggled to find common ground with the CNSP to maintain security cooperation effectively.
Despite these diplomatic movements, US officials reported this week that there have been no immediate changes to American troop levels in Niger.
The country remains crucial in the combined US and French efforts to counteract jihadist threats in West Africa and hosts a significant $100 million American drone base.
