(MENAFN- AzerNews) Niger's junta announced Saturday it canceled a 2012 defense
cooperation agreement with the US, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
“The government of Niger, considering the aspirations and
interests of its people, responsibly decides to denounce with
immediate effect the agreement” that permitted US military
personnel and civilian employees from the American Department of
Defense on Niger's territory, Nigerien government spokesman Amadou
Abdramane said in a statement on national television.
The move follows a visit to Niamey earlier this week by a
delegation of senior US military officials led by Under Secretary
of State for African Affairs Molly Phee.
Abdramane accused US officials of not following diplomatic
protocol and not informing Niger about the composition of the
delegation.
He added that Niger regretted the“intention of the American
delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right of
choosing their partners and partnerships capable of truly helping
them fight against terrorism.”
Following the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum last July, the
junta demanded the withdrawal of French troops.
But the US maintained a drone base in Agadez in the north with
1,000 troops.
Abdramane said the government considers illegal the presence of
US troops on Niger's territory because“it was not democratically
approved and imposes unfavorable conditions on Niger, particularly
in terms of lack of transparency on military activities.”
Niger's military also canceled two security and defense
partnerships with the EU last year.
Last December, the West African country and Russia signed a
Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen defense cooperation.
During the previous governments in Niger, US troops trained
Nigerien forces in counterterrorism.
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