France Insists Its Troops Will Remain In Niger Republic

The foreign minister of France has reiterated her country’s commitment to maintaining troops in Niger and keeping the French ambassador in place.

The military leadership in Niamey demanded the envoy’s expulsion more than a week ago.

Catherine Colonna told le monde newspaper that the Ambassador Sylvain Itte was the French representative to Niger’s “legitimate authorities” – the deposed government of President Mohamed Bazoum.

Mr. Colonna was speaking as tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Niamey for a third consecutive day near a French Military Base.

They again called on the former colonial power withdraw its troops.

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France has about 1,500 soldiers stationed in Niger to help quell an Islamist insurgency in the Sahel Region.

The French leader, who was speaking during a major foreign policy speech to ambassadors gathered in Paris, confirmed that French envoy Sylvain Itte was listening in from Niger’s capital Niamey despite being given a 48-hour deadline to leave the country last Friday.

“France and its diplomats have faced particularly difficult situations in some countries in recent months, from Sudan, where France has been exemplary, to Niger at this very moment and I applaud your colleague and your colleagues who are listening from their posts,” he said.

Bazoum was toppled on July 26 and has been detained along with his family at the presidential palace in a coup that has been condemned by France and most of Niger’s neighbours.

ECOWAS has been trying to negotiate with the leaders of the coup but has said it is ready to deploy troops to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts fail.