A US official said Wednesday that the US is planning to resume its security partnership with the post-coup government of Niger, known as the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP).
Niger military officers established the CNSP, which is led by Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, after ousting former President Mohamed Bazoum in a July 26 coup. Molly Phee, the US assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, told reporters that she met with CNSP ministers and encouraged them to announce a timeline for a return to democratic rule.
“In our discussions, I confirmed the intent of the United States to resume security and development cooperation in phases, reciprocally as the CNSP takes actions,” Phee said. “I have made clear to the CNSP that we want to be a good partner again, but the CNSP has to be a good partner to the United States.”
According to Reuters, President Biden told Congress last week that there are currently 648 US troops stationed in Niger. Before the US repositioned its forces in September, there were about 1,100 US soldiers in the country. The US also has a major drone base in Niger that cost over $100 million to build, known as Airbase 201.
The CNSP had demanded the withdrawal of French forces from Niger, following a pattern of France being expelled from its former colonies in West Africa, but the US was allowed to stay. Niger’s military said Tuesday that French troops would complete the withdrawal by December 22 and that they were leaving “for good.”
Phee also said the CNSP was open to negotiations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a bloc of West African nations that was threatening military intervention when Bazoum was first ousted. The threat of an invasion has subsided, but ECOWAS is still maintaining harsh sanctions on Niger and is not allowing humanitarian aid to enter the country.
Kicking France out and keeping the US is like the sheep kicking the wolves out and keeping the lions. Niger’s days are numbered.
Don’t say that. Russia supports Niger therefore Niger’s days aren’t numbered.
Are you losing confidence in your own kind?
“Russia supports Niger…”
Just when a discussion was steadily on topic…Donald “Russia/Putin (verb) (noun)” Julio to the rescue.
Like Rudy G and 9/11 or Donald T and the 2020 election.
Rudy G was the O-G for “(noun) (verb) 9/11”.
And the SNL episode he hosted SUCKED.
Be assured the General was well compensated and with the promise of recurring dividends for his country’s mineral resources.
Wherever out military goes, bad sh*t happens.
the US is maintaining its military presence in Niger
because uncle benevolent sam loves him some Nigers?
probably not. oh wait, google = “”Niger has proven oil reserves equivalent to 34.2 times its annual consumption. This means that, without Net Exports, there would be about 34 years of oil left (at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves) – in Niger.””
ok uncle sam, what is your excuse for maintaining a military presence in Syria?
“oh we don’t need any excuse, we have already stated for the record that we are stealing Syrian oil literally as soon as it is pumped out of the ground.”
Is there any other resources (interests as Bill Clinton would say) there, such as lithium?
“ Molly Phee, the US assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, told reporters that she met with CNSP ministers and encouraged them to announce a timeline for a return to democratic rule.”
The same way they have encouraged the Sisi of Egypt to return to democratic rule ever since 2013. But then Obama and his administration didn’t have the honesty to call it a coup then unlike the case with Niger.
“ The State Department today announced that the U.S. officially recognizes as a coup the illegal, July 26 overthrow of the government of Niger. ”
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3552918/us-says-july-ouster-of-nigers-government-was-a-coup/#:~:text=The%20State%20Department%20today%20announced,of%20the%20government%20of%20Niger.
Putin supports Niger so why can’t the US.
Awesome, now Russia and the US support the same country.
There should be zero complaints here.
“supporting” and “coveting” are not necessarily synonymous
Yes, they are supporting, genius.
Russia and the US support the ruling regime in Niger. It’s going to get worse for the people of Niger.
“Putin supports Niger…”
Always nice to say it twice…Donald “Russia/Putin (verb) (noun)” Julio sweeps in to contribute…words, I guess ?