Niger: the CNSP denounces the 2012 military agreement with the United States
Niger denounced, Saturday March 16 in the evening “with immediate effect”, the military cooperation agreement with the United States.
An agreement signed in 2012, while the Americans today have around a thousand soldiers in the country, as well as a large drone base in Agadez.
On national television, the government spokesperson judged this cooperation “unfair” and “not meeting expectations”.
This video screenshot from ORTN - Télé Sahel on July 31, 2023 shows Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane reading a statement on national television.
© AFP -
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According to Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane, the cooperation agreement would be “
a simple note verbale
”, “
unilaterally imposed
” by Washington.
The document would force Niger to pay its bills related to taxes on American aircraft, which would cost several billions, according to the spokesperson.
Niamey also complains of having no information on American operations, while ignoring their personnel and equipment deployed.
Thus, the member of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland (CNSP) deemed
the American presence on Nigerien territory “
illegal ”.
This decision follows the visit, between Tuesday March 12 and Thursday March 14, of a high-level American delegation to Niamey.
A meeting “
without respect for diplomatic practices
” and “
imposed
”, according to Amadou Abdramane.
Read alsoAfter several days in Niamey, the American delegation leaves without having met General Tiani
The discussions would have focused on the current transition and the choice of foreign partners.
According to the colonel-major, the Americans accused Niamey of having signed secret agreements, whether
in the military field with Russia
, or on uranium with Iran.
The spokesperson thus denounced a “
condescending attitude and the threat of reprisals
” from the Americans.
Enough to “
undermine relations
” and “
undermine trust between our governments
”, he said.
Amadou Abdramane recalled that these foreign partnerships respected international law, while on July 26, after the coup d'état, Washington had “
unilaterally and abruptly
” suspended its
military cooperation with Niger
.
The decision of this Saturday March 16 thus sounds like a retaliatory measure from Niamey.
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