- France rejects Niger junta’s authority to expel its ambassador, emphasizes legitimacy from elected Nigerien authorities
- ECOWAS denies claims of being controlled by foreign powers, underscores adherence to community principles and regulations
France has stated that the Niger junta lacks the authority to expel France’s ambassador, Sylvain Itte.
The Niger military gave Ltte 48 hours to leave the country after he refused an invitation to meet with the junta’s appointed foreign minister.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the French government’s actions are “contrary to the interests of Niger.”
But France said;
Niger’s “putschists have no authority” to expel its ambassador in Niamey, as quoted by Deutsche Welle.
The putschists do not have the authority to make this request, the ambassador’s approval coming solely from the legitimate elected Nigerien authorities,” Paris said, adding: We are constantly evaluating the security and operating conditions of our embassy.
On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron demanded the release of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, who was detained on July 26, 2023 in a military coup led by Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former commander of Niger’s presidential guard.
Macron also called for restoring democratic order in Niger, a former French colony whose elected government was deposed in a July military coup.
We Are Not Being Teleguided By Foreign Powers – ECOWAS
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has refuted claims that the regional bloc was remotely controlled by foreign powers in order to attack Niger Republic.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, announced this on Friday during a press conference in Abuja.
President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic was deposed on July 26 in a military coup led by Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former commander of Niger’s presidential guard.
ECOWAS condemned the action and urged the junta to hand over power to the democratically elected president.
Let me reiterate that fifth columnists have unfortunately been misrepresenting our decisions and actions, deriding regional authorities as being tele-guided by foreign powers with nefarious intentions.
Let me remind everyone that ECOWAS is a community of rules and regulations, norms, and values. These principles, which have been accumulated over the 48 years of its existence, and they underpin its actions.
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