After weeks of escalating tensions between France and the new military leaders in Niger, France announced it will withdraw nearly 1,500 troops from Niger by the end of the year. This decision could upend the West’s security footprint in the region, including the future of 1,100 American forces based in Niger. It also caps years of waning influence for France, a former colonizer in West Africa whose economic presence and military clout in the region remains considerable despite being increasingly challenged by juntas and foreign powers like Russia.
After the coup that ousted the civilian president, Mohamed Bazoum, Western countries suspended their aid and security partnerships with Niger. The future of Western involvement in the Sahel region — the world’s epicenter of jihadist activity — remains uncertain. Niger is a key transit country in the migration route to Europe, and in recent years the European Union has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into buffering its northern areas with transit centers and repatriation flights. France’s withdrawal could herald a shift for the United States’ presence in West Africa.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/24/world/africa/france-troops-ambassador-niger.html
