Niger's junta ends military co-operation with US

Niamey [Niger], March 18: Niger's junta, the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP), has cancelled its military cooperation agreement with the United States "with immediate effect." The announcement, made by CNSP spokesman Colonel Amadou Abdramane, was broadcast late Saturday and comes a day after a high-level visit by a US delegation to the West African country.
During its stay, the delegation tried to meet the head of the military junta, Abdourahamane Tchiani, but to no avail.
"We are aware of the statement from the CNSP in Niger, which follows frank discussions at senior levels in Niamey this week about our concerns with the CNSP's trajectory," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
"We are in touch with the CNSP and will provide further updates as warranted." Abdramane said they had decided to cancel the agreement - relating to the status of US Department of Defence staff and civil employees - since it had detected "condescending behaviour and threats of reprisals" from the delegation, led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee.
The United States has been stationed in Niger for a number of years in a bid to control the threat of Islamist extremists in the Sahel region. Following a military coup in July, the self-appointed transitional government has turned its back on a number of former partners, including the European Union's civilian capacity building mission (EUCAP).
Source: Qatar Tribune