According to a statement released by the Nigerien Foreign Ministry on Friday, August 25, the junta in Niger has instructed the French ambassador in Niamey to leave the nation within 48 hours.
The Nigerien Foreign Ministry claimed in a statement released by state-run media outlet ORTN that Ambassador Sylvain Itte had declined to attend a meeting with the nation’s foreign minister set for Friday.
In addition to citing “other actions by the French government that are against Niger’s interest,” the ministry claimed that Itte’s credentials had been withdrawn by Nigerien authorities as a result of the refusal. “.
The French Foreign Ministry told AFP late Friday that France had taken note of the putschists’ request.
The ministry stated that “the putschists do not have the power to make this demand, and the ambassador’s approval comes only from the legitimate, elected Nigerien authorities.”.
Separately, the US State Department stated in a statement late Friday that it had been informed by the Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that “images of letters circulating on the internet calling for the departure of certain American diplomatic personnel. “.
It was clarified that neither of these “were issued by the ministry” nor had the US government received any requests of this nature.
