Niger junta expels French envoy for snubbing invitation to meeting

The Niger military junta has expelled the French ambassador to the country.

In a statement issued by the Niger Republic minister of foreign affairs, the envoy, Sylvain Itte, was asked to leave the West African nation within 48 hours after he snubbed invitation to a meeting on Friday.

The junta was also critical of France, its former colonial power, since President Mohammed Basoum was ousted from power on July 26.

Niger has accused French forces of freeing captured terrorists and breaching a ban on its airspace in an attempt to destabilise the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday demanded the restoration of democratic order in Niger.

Macron, who addressed journalists in Paris, also defended France’s military presence in West Africa.

The European power France has some 1,500 troops stationed in Niger to aid the fight against the jihadist groups in the Uranium-rich country located in the Sahelian region of West Africa.

The statement read: “Following the refusal of the French ambassador in Niamey to respond to an invitation from the minister for a meeting Friday and other actions of the French government contrary to the interests of Niger, the authorities have decided to withdraw their approval of Sylvain Itte and ask him to depart within 48 hours.”

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