France closes embassy in Niger

A new stage in the withdrawal of the French from Niger. France has decided to close its embassy in the West African country, where “it can no longer function properly and carry out its missions,” diplomatic sources learned Thursday. This extremely rare measure comes after Niamey announced on December 12 that all French soldiers stationed in Niger as part of the anti-jihadist fight would leave by December 22, which is this Friday.

It is the culmination of a deep divorce between France and Niger since the generals took power in Niamey in a July 26 coup. “Following the attack on our embassy on July 30 and the establishment of a blockade around our territory by Nigerian forces, we began the departure of most of our diplomatic staff at the end of September,” diplomatic sources explained.

“The French Embassy in Niger can no longer operate normally and carry out its mission. Taking into account this situation, we have decided to close our embassy in the near future, they continued. It was within this framework that we had to dismiss and compensate our local lawyers. »

“Collectively in danger” at the embassy

After the July 26 coup, the military in power quickly demanded the withdrawal of French soldiers – some 1,500 deployed to fight the jihadists – and denounced several military agreements with Paris. The military regime also announced at the end of August the expulsion of the French ambassador Sylvain Itte. Before leaving, he remained at the diplomatic mission for almost a month. He was “taken hostage,” commented French President Emmanuel Macron.

Nigerian companies that supplied materials to the embassy were “dissuaded, even threatened” by the new government and eventually did not come again, Sylvain Itte said in late September on TF1. “We had to take out the trash without our friends in the junta noticing,” he said. It was necessary to bring food and water, again using ingenuity. »

On July 30, a violent demonstration targeting the French embassy turned into an “attack” and “lasted more than 2.5 hours,” he said. “That day we were all in danger together and came very, very close to tragedy because there were more than 6,000 people who had to fight it, who had to enter the embassy,” the diplomat said.