Another African Country Threatens To Kick Out USA Military As It Packs Out Of Niger.

#africanews #niger #usarmy

It can rightly be said that 2023 was the beginning of the end of Francafrique, meaning the end of France’s influence in Africa. Starting with Mali, and spreading to Burkina Faso and Niger, France’s influence in Francophone Africa is gradually dying. Its military presence and diplomatic relations in the Sahel where it once had a stronghold have deteriorated. All thanks to the wave of leaders brought by the wave of coups. Now it’s 2024 and African geopolitics is changing again. But this time it’s the world’s superpower, the United States’s relations with African countries that is in the spotlight. In mid-March, Niger shocked the West and the world at large by ending the status of forces agreement signed in 2012 which allowed the United States Military forces to be in the country and carry out its operations. It was the first time an African country chose to make that kind of decision. Ending the defence agreement with the U.S. meant that the presence of the 1100 forces settled in the base in Niamey was illegal.

According to the military government of Niger, they made this decision following a meeting held between officials of the US military including the commander of the United States Africa Command, General Micheal Langley, and the Prime Minister of Niger. Recall that after the coup which removed former President Bazoom from power in July 2023, the US troops stationed in the Agadez base in Niamey became inactive. So, the purpose of the meeting between officials of the US military and the Prime Minister of Niger was to plot the way forward concerning the security relationship between the two countries. However, the meeting ended badly with the United States exhibiting its usual superior and condescending attitude towards Niger and demanding that Niger had to cut off diplomatic relations with Russia and Iran going forward. But the authorities in Niger, refused to be intimidated or give in to the demands of the United States. Instead, they stated that Niger is a sovereign country which means that it has every right to choose whoever it wants to partner with. So if the U.S. Military is interested in remaining in the country then it has to conform to that fact.

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