Niger junta gives ambassador from France 48 hours to leave

 

The French ambassador has been asked by the military junta of Niger to leave the nation in 48 hours, the Nigerien Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday.

The decision to withdraw foreign diplomats has reportedly worsened the international crisis in the West African country caused by a military coup that led to the removal of elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

In a letter, the military accused the French Ambassador Sylvain Itte because he refused the invitation to a meeting. Itte was ordered to leave Niger within 48 hours.

The Associated Press reportedly obtained a copy of the letter, which listed "actions of the French government contrary to the interests of Niger '' as one of the factors behind Itte's expulsion.

Before the coup last month, France and Niger, an ex-colony of France, worked together to combat terrorist violence in the region. However, things changed after the coup.

A United States State Department spokesperson reportedly said, "No such request has been made to the U.S. government.”

The diplomat revealed that letters appearing online requesting for the removal of certain American diplomats had not been issued by the ministry.

Kathleen Fitzgibbons, the new U.S. Ambassador to Niger, arrived in the country, earlier this month. 

Meanwhile, Algeria claimed to have dispatched a senior official to Niger on Thursday. Recently, in an effort to find a solution in Niger, where Algiers opposes any military action in the wake of the military coup, Algeria's foreign minister Ahmed Attaf began a tour of West African nations.

Mohammed Bazoum, the elected president of Niger, was taken into custody by the armed forces on July 26. ECOWAS, a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa, has threatened to use force to restore him to office. ECOWAS also urged the armed forces to establish peace in the region.