France closes embassy in Niger following coup

Barely two weeks after the last French troops left the nation following a coup that toppled a significant Paris ally, the French foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that the country had closed its embassy in Niger until further notice.

Following the July 2023 coup that placed the nation in the hands of military leaders, the closure of the French embassy in Niamey marks one of the last stages in the gradual dismantling of the French presence in its former colony.

The foreign ministry said in a statement obtained by AFP that the French embassy in Niger was "now closed until further notice" and that operations would be carried out from Paris.

It stated that "our embassy has suffered serious obstacles making it impossible to carry out its missions"—including a blockade around the mission—for the five months following the coup.

The majority of the staff has long since left, including the ambassador who was banished by the new military leaders.

The United States stated in December, according to AFP, that it was prepared to start working with Niger again provided the country's military government agreed to swiftly hand over power to civilians.

In October, a US official said that although Washington was no longer actively training or supporting Niger forces, it was still maintaining about 1,000 military personnel in the country.

There are also fewer German and Italian forces left because the West doesn't want Russia to step in and take over any space left by the French withdrawal.