THE Niger Republic has suspended, with immediate effect, its military pact allowed United States (US) military personnel and civilian defence staff to operate from the country, which plays a central role in the US military’s operations in Africa’s Sahel region and is home to a major airbase.
The suspension, which was announced by the ruling military junta’s spokesman, Col. Amadou Abdramane, is a blow to US security interests in the region.
The decision, announced came after senior US officials, led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, and US Africa Command head, Gen. Michael Langley, visited Niger earlier this week to discuss democratic transition.
Abdramane said: “Niger regrets the intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and types of partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism.”
As at December last year, a White House report to Congress said the US military had about 650 personnel working in Niger.
The US military operates a major airbase in the city of Agadez, some 920 kilometres (572 miles) from the capital, Niamey, which it used for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations.
A drone base, known as Air Base 201, near Agadez, was built at a cost of over $100million. The base had since 2018 been used to target ISIL (ISIS) fighters and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate in the Sahel region.
Niger is the centre of US operations in West and North Africa, notably at its Air Base 201, the most expensive construction project ever undertaken by the US government. It’s there for war on terror operations, but it’s really there also for great power projection against countries like Russia and China,” a report stated.
Last October, Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup, but in December, Phee said the US was willing to restore aid and security ties if Niger met certain conditions.
The junta said the delegation had accused Niger of partnering with Russia and Iran on “secret” deals, which the government denies, with officials also saying the US had “threatened” action against the country if Niamey fails to cut ties with both countries.
The military government “forcefully denounces the condescending attitude accompanied by the threat of retaliation from the head of the American delegation towards the Nigerien government and people,” Abdramane added.
A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to the Reuters news agency, said the officials had “frank discussions” in Niamey earlier that week about the trajectory of Niger’s ruling military council, known by its French initials, CNSP, adding: “We are in touch with the CNSP and will provide further updates as warranted.”
Niger has been under military rule since July last year when an elite guard force, led by Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, detained ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and declared Tchiani ruler.
Like the military rulers in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger has also kicked out French and other European forces and has turned to Russia for support and military aid, a move that has complicated their relations with the West.
