The military leaders of Niger announced Monday that they were ending two missions of the European Union in the country, following an agreement earlier in the day to enhance military cooperation with Russia.
According to the Nigerien foreign ministry, the EU and Niger are terminating their cooperation agreement regarding the EUCAP Sahel Niger mission based in Niamey.
In 2012, the mission was launched to support Niger’s internal security forces, authorities, and non-governmental organizations.
The foreign ministry of Niger also announced in a press statement that the State of Niger had withdrawn its consent to the deployment of an EU military partnership mission.
The military partnership known as EUMPM was launched in February “at the request of the Nigerien authorities”, according to the EU Council website.
It was designed to “enhance the ability of the Niger Armed Forces to contain the terrorist threat,” the website said.
In addition to fighting two jihadist insurgencies in its southeast, the country is also fighting militants crossing into its west from Mali and Burkina Faso.
The nation has been under military rule ever since the July overthrow of elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
Niger’s military regime has distanced itself from Europe and drawn closer to two of its neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, which after recent coups are also run by militaries that have partnered with Russia.
A new ally
After the ousting of Bazoum, a key ally of Paris, the former colonial power France has also begun withdrawing its 1,500 troops from Niger.
On Monday, a Russian delegation led by the deputy defence minister met with the Nigerlian authorities in Niamey, where they agreed to intensify their military cooperation.
During the trip, a member of the Russian government made his first official visit since the July 26 coup in Niger.
The military leader of Niger, General Abdourahamane Tiani, hosted Colonel-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov’s delegation for talks.
According to Nigerien authorities, the parties “signed documents strengthening military cooperation.”
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are all combating long-running jihadist insurgencies and have united to form the Alliance of Sahel States, establishing closer economic ties as well as mutual defense assistance.
Moreover, Burkina Faso and Niger have also quit the G5 anti-jihadist force in Africa’s Sahel region on Saturday, the latest blow to the fight against insurgents in one of the world’s most troubled regions.
Burkina and Niger “have decided in full sovereignty to quit all instances of the G5 Sahel, including the joint force” as of November 29, the two countries said in a statement.
Currently, only Chad and Mauritania are still members of the G5, whose military operations receive significant funding from the European Union.
