France's ambassador to Niger lands in Paris weeks after junta demands diplomat's expulsion
France's ambassador to Niger lands in Paris weeks after junta demands diplomat's explusion
France's ambassador to Niger, on Wednesday (Sept 27), landed in Paris weeks after the post-coup regime in the West African country demanded the diplomat's expulsion.
As per news agency AFP reports, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna met Sylvain Itte "to thank him and his teams for his work in the service of our country under difficult conditions," the ministry said in a written statement.
Itte left Niamey along with six colleagues "around 4:00 am" (0300 GMT), a diplomatic source told AFP.
President Emanuel Macron, on Sunday (Sept 24), in a TV interview had announced that “France has decided to withdraw its ambassador.”
“In the coming hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” he added.
The French president further said that the military cooperation with the Niger was over and the troops would be withdrawn in “the months and weeks to come” with a full pullout by the end of the year.
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“We will consult the putschists because we want this to be done peacefully,” he added.
Macron said that the junta “no longer wanted to fight against terrorism”.
Born in the Malian capital Bamako in 1959, Itte had been serving in the position of ambassador to Niger for a year.
His diplomatic career spans 35 years and he was previously ambassador to Uruguay and Angola.
Niger junta welcomed Macron's announcement
Hours after the statement, Niger’s junta said that the announcement signals a “new step towards the sovereignty” of the country.
“This Sunday, we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger,” said the statement from the military rulers.
“This is a historic moment, which speaks to the determination and will of the Nigerien people,” the Niger statement added.
The military leaders ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26— a third such putsch in the region in as many years—citing persistent insecurity in the region.
Macron said that he still acknowledges Bazoum—currently in detention—as the "sole legitimate authority" and had informed him of his decision.
The development stems from years of anti-French sentiment running in the country, with many local politicians accusing Paris of carrying out neo-colonialist policies - a charge denied by France.
(With inputs from agencies)
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