Niger’s military government announced that it has ended an accord with the US that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the Department of Defense to operate in the country, days after holding high-level talks with US diplomatic and military officials.
“The government of Niger, taking into account the aspirations and interests of its people, decides with full responsibility to denounce with immediate effect the agreement relating to the status of military personnel of the United States and civilian employees of the American Department of Defense in the territory of the Republic of Niger,” Niger military spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane said in a statement on national television announcing the change.
Abdramane added that the agreement signed in 212 between the two countries was imposed on Niger and had been in violation of the “constitutional and democratic rules” of the West African nation’s sovereignty.
“This agreement is not only profoundly unfair in its substance, but it also does not meet the aspirations and interests of the Nigerien people,” he said.
Niger was once a key regional partner for the US, but relations have deteriorated since the military junta claimed power in July 2023 in what the US formally designated as a coup.
Since then, the US has withdrawn many of its 1,100 troops who were stationed in Niger.
Senior Pentagon officials believe that keeping a presence in Niger is vital to efforts to tackle terrorism in the region. In October, the Pentagon said it was still assessing how the change would impact approximately 1,000 US forces stationed in the country.
Abdramane said that the US delegation was received out of “courtesy” and “did not respect diplomatic practices” by not providing information regarding the date of its arrival, the composition of the delegation and the purpose of the visit.
Following the Abdramane said “The government of Niger regrets the desire of the American delegation to deny the Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and the types of partnerships capable of helping them truly fight against terrorists,” we “forcefully denounces the condescending attitude” of the US.
He also rejected what he said were allegations of a secret deal made between Niger, Russia, and Iran.