President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday that France will withdraw its troops from Niger by the end of the year in the wake of the country’s coup in July.
Macron also noted that the loss of influence and counterinsurgency efforts in the Sahel region will be significant as a result of the withdrawal of 1,500 French troops.
Western concerns over Russia’s growing influence in Africa are likely to increase in the wake of France’s withdrawal, which follows weeks of pressure from the junta and popular demonstrations. The Russian mercenary unit Wagner currently operates in Mali, Niger’s neighbor.
Despite not recognizing the junta as Niger’s legitimate authority, the French president said Paris would work on the withdrawal of French troops with the coup’s leaders. In addition, Macron stated that France’s ambassador was being recalled and would be returning to France within hours.
Prior to the coup, France and the United States used Niger as a base to fight an Islamist insurgency across the wider Sahel region of West and Central Africa.