Niger cancels the military cooperation agreement with the United States
The ruling military junta in Niger announced the cancellation of the military cooperation agreement concluded with the United States in 2012 with immediate effect, considering it illegal and violates all constitutional and democratic rules.
Nigerian government spokesman Colonel Amadou Abdel Rahman said in a statement read on state television that the Nigerian government, “while taking the aspirations and interests of the people into account, decides with all responsibility to cancel with immediate effect the agreement regarding the status of the military personnel of the United States and civilian employees in the US Department of Defense, on Niger’s territory.
Amadou Abdel Rahman considered that the agreement signed between Niamey and Washington on July 6, 2012 was unjust and was unilaterally imposed by the United States through a simple verbal note.
The military junta’s decision to cancel this agreement comes days after the departure of an American delegation headed by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly V, who spent 3 days in Niamey without being able to meet the head of the military junta, General Abderrahmane Tiani.
In his statement on Saturday evening, Amadou denounced the condescending stance of the head of the delegation, considering that it would undermine the nature of Nigerien-US relations.
The Nigerien military official added that “the arrival of the US delegation didn’t respect diplomatic norms,” as the US government informed Niger unilaterally of the date of its arrival and the composition of its delegation.
The United States has about 1,100 soldiers participating in the fight against armed groups, and it also has a large base for marches in Agadez in the north of the country.
Last December, Washington expressed its readiness to resume cooperation with Niamey on conditions, but this step to cancel the agreement may lead to the expulsion of US military personnel from the country, similar to what happened with the French forces.
