The Niger military junta has said that the French ambassador to Niger, Sylvain Itte, no longer has diplomatic immunity.
It has subsequently directed the police to expel him from the West African country.
Last Friday, the junta ordered the ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours after refusing to meet with the coup leaders who ousted Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
Niger’s foreign ministry said that French government actions were “contrary to the interests of Niger.”
Meanwhile, the visas of the ambassador and his family have been cancelled by the junta.
French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday said the ambassador, Itte would remain at his post in the country despite being asked to leave by the ruling junta.
Macron while addressing a conference of ambassadors in Paris, including Itte, who attended virtually, insisted that France was not Niger’s enemy.
Earlier on Monday, it was reported that local authorities had cut off the water and electricity to the French embassy in Niamey, even though Itte and some other diplomats were still there.
“France and its diplomats have faced particularly difficult situations in some countries in recent months, from Sudan, where France has been exemplary, to Niger at this very moment, and I applaud your colleague and your colleagues who are listening from their posts,” Macron said during the conference
“Our policy is clear: we do not recognize the putschists,” he said.
“Our policy is the right one. It depends on the courage of President Mohamed Bazoum, the commitment of our diplomats, of our ambassador on the ground who is remaining despite pressure.
“One shouldn’t give in to the narrative used by the coup leaders that consists of saying France has become our enemy.
“The problem of Nigeriens today is the coup leaders who put them in danger because they are abandoning the fight against terrorism, because they are abandoning a policy that was economically good for (the population) and they are in the process of losing international funding that was helping them emerge from poverty.”
