Niger’s junta ends military cooperation with US

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - Niger's junta announced Saturday it canceled a 2012 defense cooperation agreement with the US.

“The government of Niger, considering the aspirations and interests of its people, responsibly decides to denounce with immediate effect the agreement” that permitted US military personnel and civilian employees from the American Department of Defense on Niger’s territory, Nigerien government spokesman Amadou Abdramane said in a statement on national television.

The move follows a visit to Niamey earlier this week by a delegation of senior US military officials led by Under Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee.

Abdramane accused US officials of not following diplomatic protocol and not informing Niger about the composition of the delegation.

He added that Niger regretted the “intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right of choosing their partners and partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism.”

Following the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum last July, the junta demanded the withdrawal of French troops.

But the US maintained a drone base in Agadez in the north with 1,000 troops.

Abdramane said the government considers illegal the presence of US troops on Niger’s territory because “it was not democratically approved and imposes unfavorable conditions on Niger, particularly in terms of lack of transparency on military activities.”

Niger's military also canceled two security and defense partnerships with the EU last year.

Last December, the West African country and Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen defense cooperation.

During the previous governments in Niger, US troops trained Nigerien forces in counterterrorism.