French President, Emmanuel Macron has said that the request for a withdrawal of troops by Niger’s military junta twill not be acceded to.
Recall that the military junta had requested that France should withdraw its soldiers station at a base in Niger.
This follow damaged relations between the two countries after the July 26 removal of President Mohamed Bazoum from office and termination of ties with France by the military.
Macron has suggested he would support a decision by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to use force to restore democracy, but the bloc has backtracked and stated that diplomacy is its first priority in resolving the Niger debacle.
“If we redeploy, I would do it only at the request of President Bazoum,” Macron said, referring to Niger’s ousted leader, as the G-20 summit wrapped up in New Delhi, India, on Sunday. “We don’t recognize any legitimacy in the declarations from the putschists.”
Macron’s remarks come after the governing junta stated that France was not adhering to its request that the 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger depart by September 3.
A junta spokesperson said over the weekend that Nigerien and French military leaders met earlier this month to discuss a strategy for a French soldier pullout from Niger.
“As of today, there has been no progress in the plan’s implementation,” Abdramane stated on national broadcaster Tele Sahel.
“France continues to deploy its forces in several Ecowas countries as part of preparations for an attack on Niger in collaboration with the regional bloc.”
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