Niger has suspended its military agreement with the United States “with immediate effect,” according to the spokesperson of the transitional government, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, dealing a blow to American security interests in the sahel region of Africa.

This agreement allowed American military and civilian defense personnel to operate from Niger, which plays a central role in US military operations in the Sahel region and hosts a major airbase.

The decision, announced on Saturday, comes after a visit by senior US officials led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee and US Africa Command head General Michael Langley earlier this week to discuss the democratic transition in the West African country.


In a statement broadcasted on national television, Abdramane stated that the American delegation did not follow diplomatic protocol, and Niger was not informed about the composition of the delegation, the date of its arrival, or the agenda. He also criticized the high cost of American services and the lack of information provided by US authorities to Nigerien officials regarding US military activities in Niger.

“In recent weeks, the Nigerien government has observed illegal overflights of its territory by American aircraft, raising questions about the sincerity of their partnership and the relevance of maintaining the military cooperation agreement imposed by our verbal agreement,” explained Col. Abdramane.

“The government of Niger, taking into account the aspirations and interests of its people, has decided, with immediate effect, to denounce the agreement regarding the status of US military personnel and civilian employees of the US Department of Defense in the Territory of the Republic of Niger,” he emphasized.

According to a report from the White House to Congress, the United States military had approximately 650 personnel working in Niger in December.

AfrikPage