Bottom Line
- The Nigerien junta has called on US military units to pull out of the country.
- Meanwhile, Niger appears to be pivoting toward Russia, following the path of its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso.
- Both partners will need to thoroughly consider the impacts of this decision before it is fully executed, given the implications for local and regional stability.
On March 12, a delegation of US officials arrived in Niamey in a highly anticipated meeting on the future of US-Niger relations. The
entourage of high-level US diplomats and military officials included the AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Dr. Celeste Wallander. What many saw as a sign of renewed commitment after months of tenuous relations and the adoption of a
pragmatic approach to dealing with Niger’s coup leaders, ended with Nigerien officials from the National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland (CNSP) releasing a
statement calling the American presence in Niger “illegal.” While it is unclear what was exactly said in the meeting, the conversation certainly did not go well. As at least one scholar
explained, the US side appeared to have “stumbled in several ways.”
The apparent rejection of a 2012 status of forces agreement has sent the Pentagon and State Department into a frenzy. The Pentagon has stated that it is seeking
clarification on the CNSP’s statement and is
reportedly engaging with Niger’s junta on ways to ensure the continuation of a US troop presence in the country. Niger has been a key security partner in the Sahel and a crucial linchpin for US counterterrorism efforts, as it is host to a strategic US
air base in Agadez. Further, it is unclear if the entire military wishes to move away from US assistance and whether the junta has been able to convince a broad enough swath of forces to support this decision.
