NIGER SUSPENDS MILITARY COOPERATION WITH US “WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT”

Sun 17 March 2024:

In a setback to US security interests in the region, Niger terminated its military deal with the US “with immediate effect,” according to Colonel Amadou Abdramane, the government military spokesman.

The agreement allowed US military personnel and civilian defense professionals to conduct operations from Niger, which is home to a significant airbase and is a key location for US military operations in the Sahel region of Africa.

The decision was made on Saturday following a visit to the West African nation earlier this week by top US officials to discuss democratic transition. Among them were US Africa Command chief General Michael Langley and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee.

Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera correspondent Shihab Rattansi said the move is “a huge blow to the US”.

“Niger is the centre of US operations in west and north Africa, notably at its Air Base 201, the most expensive construction project ever undertaken by the US government. It’s there for war on terror operations but it’s really there also for great power projection against countries like Russia and China.”

The US military had some 650 personnel working in Niger in December, according to a White House report to Congress. The US military operates a major airbase in the Niger city of Agadez, some 920km (572 miles) from the capital of Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations.

A drone base known as Air Base 201 near Agadez was built at a cost of more than $100m. Since 2018 the base has been used to target ISIL (ISIS) fighters and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, in the Sahel region.

Speaking on local television, Abdramane said the US delegation did not follow diplomatic protocol, and that Niger was not informed about the composition of the delegation, the date of its arrival or the agenda.

“Niger regrets the intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and types of partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism,” Abdramane said.

The military said the delegation had accused Niger of partnering with Russia and Iran on “secret” deals, which the government denies. Officials also said the US had “threatened” action against Niger if the Niamey fails to cut ties with both countries.

The military government “forcefully denounces the condescending attitude accompanied by the threat of retaliation from the head of the American delegation towards the Nigerien government and people”, spokesman Abdramane added.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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