The military junta led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani in the Republic of Niger is planning to recall the Nigerien Ambassador to Nigeria and several other countries after failing to reach an agreement with the delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the return of democracy in Niger.
In addition to recalling the ambassadors to Nigeria, Togo, France, and the United States, the junta aims to evict French and US troops stationed in the country. As part of this move, they have declared an end to all Memorandum of Understanding between France and the Republic of Niger.
Defence sources in Niamey, the capital of Niger, confirmed the junta’s plans to recall ambassadors and end military agreements. The ongoing negotiations between the junta and ECOWAS have reportedly failed, leading to these drastic actions by the military rulers.
The political crisis in Niger began when General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the former Head of Presidential Guard, staged a palace coup on July 26, 2023, and detained President Mohamed Bazoum. Subsequently, Tchiani declared himself the Head of State.
To resolve the crisis, ECOWAS dispatched two delegations led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) and Ambassador Babagana Kingibe. The first delegation engaged with the coupists and other parties involved in the crisis in Niger’s capital, Niamey, while the second delegation engaged with the leaders of Libya and Algeria concerning the Niger crisis.
The mandate given to General Abubakar’s team was to expedite a resolution to the political crisis in Niger. President Bola Tinubu, Chairman of the ECOWAS’ Authority of Heads of State and Government, dispatched both teams on this mission, in line with the resolution reached at the extraordinary summit of ECOWAS held in Abuja last weekend.
As the situation continues to unfold, the actions taken by the military junta in Niger, including the recall of ambassadors and the evictions of foreign troops, may have significant implications for regional stability and diplomatic relations.
