France definitively withdraws from Niger
The military government in Niger announced a few days ago that all French soldiers would be leaving the country. This does not make it any easier for Germany, both militarily and politically.
A “strategic partner” quickly becomes a bitter adversary: When the Presidential Guard staged a coup in Niger at the end of July, pro-regime demonstrators burned French flags on the streets and instead waved Russian flags.
For days, protesters camped outside the French military base on the outskirts of the city – right next to the German base – in order to emphasize the newly empowered rulers’ announced expulsion of the French troops. “The National Council for the Protection of the Homeland has decided to end all cooperation in the areas of security and defense with the state,” said Amadou Abdramane, an officer and spokesperson for the military government, shortly after the coup.
Military government fuels anti-French sentiment
From day one of their seizure of power, the military government has fueled anti-French sentiment in the country. They portrayed themselves as liberators from the alleged shackles of the former colonial power. In October, a man in the capital Niamey already shouted after the departing French troops: “We don’t want their help. We want them to leave our country!”
Although Germans do not face such open hostility, the cancellation of important security and migration agreements with the EU by the new government also rang alarm bells in the German government.
Germany loses a partner in Niger
Scenes like these appear to come from another era: In April of this year, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Nigerien counterpart, Alkassoum Indattou, proudly posed in front of a row of off-road vehicles that Germany had just handed over to the Nigerien armed forces. They heaped praise on each other for their decades-old and excellent relationship: “The way we work together sets an example for other regions in the world,” Pistorius said at the time. That was less than a year ago.
Today, the situation is completely different: Defense Minister Indattou lost his job after the military coup in July – and Germany lost its praised partner in the region plagued by Islamist terrorism.
Pistorius wants to keep the dialogue going
In the week before Christmas, Boris Pistorius traveled to Niger for the second time during his tenure to explore the possibilities of a cautious rapprochement with the military rulers. “I firmly believe that it is always better to stay in dialogue with each other,” said the SPD politician afterwards.
The Germans would like to keep an air transport base on the outskirts of the capital, which currently houses around 120 German soldiers – and thus also have a foot in the door. In times of Niger’s rapprochement with Russia, the new defense minister Modi stated that “the stationing of foreign troops in Niger will now always depend on the consent of the people of Niger,” leaving the future of German soldiers in Niamey open.
French troops accept their fate
Regarding the future of French troops, on the other hand, almost everything is clear: in the first days and weeks after the coup, there were rumors that the French could intervene militarily, but in the end, the troops accepted their fate and are now leaving the country. “Very, very, very happy,” said a resident of the capital after the announcement of the departure a few weeks ago, adding “Merci” – thank you – to the French.
Withdrawal poses difficulties for Germany
The withdrawal of the French does not make it any easier for the Germans, both militarily and politically. On the one hand, Berlin, like the Americans, is taking cautious first steps on a different path in dealing with the regime than Paris. The region is intersected by refugee routes, and leaving the desperate people to fend for themselves is considered negligent. On the other hand, Germany does not want to alienate its important partner, France. After all, a new joint Sahel strategy must be devised at the EU level, and that will hardly be possible without Paris.