The military government of Niger Republic has government announced that it has ended an agreement that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the Department of Defense to operate in Niger with the United States, days after it held high-level talks with US diplomatic and military officials.
While announcing the development on national television, Niger military spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane said: “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.”
Abdramane added that the agreement between the two countries was signed in 2012, was imposed on Niger and had been in violation of the “constitutional and democratic rules” of Niger’s sovereignty.
He said: “This agreement is not only profoundly unfair in its substance but it also does not meet the aspirations and interests of the Nigerien people.”
Niger was once a major regional partner of the US, but relations have deteriorated since the military junta claimed power last year in what the US officially designated as a coup.
The US has withdrawn most of its 1,100 troops who were stationed in Niger since then.
In a letter sent to Congress in December 2023, United States President, Joe Biden, noted that approximately 648 US military personnel remain deployed to Niger.
The announcement came after a senior US delegation’s recent three-day visit to Niger.
Abdramane said that the United States delegation was received out of “courtesy” and “did not respect diplomatic practices” by not giving information about the date of its arrival, the composition of the delegation and the purpose of the visit.
He said during meetings, representatives of both countries discussed the military transition in Niger and military cooperation between the two countries.
He 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.”
While talking further, Abdramane stated that Niger “forcefully denounces the condescending attitude” of the US.
He said: “This attitude is likely to undermine the quality of our centuries-old relations and undermine the trust between our two governments.”
Also, he rejected what he said were allegations of a deal made between Niger, Russia, and Iran secretly.
