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Niger military rulers order UN official out within 72 hours, as US cuts aid and France withdraws
Niger's post-coup military rulers have demanded that the United Nations coordinator in the West African country leave Niger within 72 hours, accusing them of excluding Niger from the last UN General Assembly. The move comes as the US cuts their aid and French troops accelerate their departure.
The Niger foreign ministry said in the statement dated Tuesday and seen on Wednesday by the press that the government had ordered the UN's resident and humanitarian coordinator, Louise Aubin, "to take all necessary measures to leave Niamey within 72 hours".
In a statement dated 10 October, Niger's foreign ministry accused the U.N. of using "underhanded manoeuvres" instigated by France to prevent its full participation in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) last month's and in subsequent meetings of UN agencies held in Vienna and in Riyadh.
The ministry pointed to "obstacles" presented by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres " with a view to thwarting the full and complete participation of Niger" at the UNGA.
The military regime in power in Niamey has already criticised "the perfidious actions" of the UN chief, saying that they were "likely to undermine any effort to end the crisis in our country".
Niger's current foreign minister is Bakary Yaou Sangare.
Before the coup, he was Niger's ambassador to the UN.
He was supposed to go to UNGA's gathering, but, according to a diplomatic source, the overthrown government didn't send an application to represent Niger.
The matter was finally deferred and no representative from Niger was added to the speakers' list.
The UN in Niamey said they had no immediate comment.
US reactions
This decision comes as the United States has announced that it has decided to cut aid to Niger.
"Any resumption of US assistance will require action to usher in democratic governance in a quick and credible timeframe," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
Washington earlier Tuesday declared that Niger's ousting of a democratic government had been a coup.
The United States, along with some West African nations and the former colonial power France, had been pressing the military to restore President Mohamed Bazoum.
"We're taking this action because over the last two months, we've exhausted all available avenues to preserve the constitutional order in Niger," a senior US official added.
The French military goes, the US stays
Meanwhile, France is continuing the withdrawal of its 1,400-strong contingent in Niger, as ordered by the coup leaders.
Niger military regime has said French forces are leaving "in the direction of Chad".
"The troops based in Ouallam have left their base today. These are the operations for the departure of the first ground convoy in the direction of Chad, escorted by our defence and security forces," new rulers said in a statement on national television.
In addition to the departure by land, "three special flights" have been registered at the airport in Niamey, two for the departure of 97 special forces elements" and one "dedicated to logistics".
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in September their departure, expecting to complete the process by the end of the year.
France's ambassador to Niger was also given his marching orders after the coup that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum, an ally of Paris, and left late in September.
Unlike France, the United States is keeping about 1,000 military personnel in Niger, but they are no longer actively training or assisting Niger forces, another US official said.
They say they will continue to work to monitor threats from jihadists.
(with newswires)
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