France in talks with Niger officials over troops exit

France has started talks with Nigerien officials over the withdrawal of "illegal" French troops from the country.

"Discussions on the withdrawal of certain military elements have begun," several French sources familiar with the matter confirmed to Le Monde.

“It is normal to discuss it insofar as anti-terrorist cooperation has been interrupted” since the July 26 coup, added one of them.

At this stage, neither the number of soldiers concerned nor the terms of this departure have been officially decided, but the principle is accepted, the report said.

Currently, some 1,500 French soldiers are deployed in the country, on three bases: in the capital, Niamey, in Ouallam, north of the capital, and in Ayorou, near the border with Mali.

Some units could be redeployed in the region, particularly in neighboring Chad, or be directly repatriated to Paris.

Until now, the French authorities had always rejected requests for the withdrawal of the French troops in Niger, contesting the legitimacy of the junta in power. Paris has also refused to recall the ambassador, Sylvain Itte, to the French capital. And, Paris has demanded the return to power of President Bazoum, with whom France's President Emmanuel Macron remained in contact.

'Maintain cooperation with France' 

Niger's newly appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said earlier that "contacts" were underway about a "very swift" departure for Paris' troops.

The generals behind the coup renounced several cooperation agreements with France on August 3, including one with a month-long notice period that expired on Sunday.

Zeine nevertheless said Monday that he hoped to "maintain cooperation if possible with a country with which we have shared many things".

In a press conference held on Monday in Niamey, Zeine addressed critical issues concerning the presence of French troops in the country and the nation's pressing economic challenges.

Prime Minister Zeine began by discussing the status of French troops and ambassadors in Niger. He emphasized the government's stance on the matter, stating that "you could see the mobilization that there is; the government has already denounced the agreements which allowed them to be on our territory. They are in an illegal position."

Zeine expressed confidence that ongoing discussions would lead to the swift withdrawal of French forces from the country. However, he expressed disappointment regarding the French ambassador's conduct, noting that diplomatic attempts to resolve the issue had been rebuffed, describing the ambassador's conduct as "a behavior of contempt."

Regarding the security situation, Zeine commended Niger's defense and security forces for their efforts in safeguarding the nation's territory and the well-being of its citizens.

Turning his attention to the economic challenges facing Niger, Zeine revealed that the country faced a substantial debt burden. "Today we are at a stock of debts estimated at 5200 billion CFA Francs (7.92 billion euros)", he stated, outlining the composition of both external and internal debts.

The Prime Minister underscored the need to address the economic situation urgently and formulate strategies to mitigate the impact of this heavy debt load on Niger's economy.

SS