The junta in Niger has demanded that the head of the United Nations diplomatic mission leave the country within 72 hours, citing the exclusion of Niger from the recent UN General Assembly held in New York. The coup leaders who assumed control in July were not represented at the New York gathering.
In a statement dated Oct. 10, Niger’s foreign ministry accused the U.N. of using “underhanded manoeuvres” instigated by France to prevent its full participation in the U.N. General Assembly and in subsequent meetings of U.N. agencies that were held in Vienna and in Riyadh.
As a result, the government has instructed UN Resident Coordinator Louise Aubin to leave.
The junta’s move aligns with a pattern observed in Mali and Burkina Faso, where military authorities grew increasingly hostile toward the United Nations and former colonial ruler France following military takeovers.
In recent events, Niger had already expelled French troops and the French ambassador. Burkina Faso expelled its UN resident coordinator last year, while Mali terminated a decade-long UN peacekeeping mission.
All three nations are dealing with a mounting Islamist insurgency, prompting military coups by officers who promised to enhance security. These coups have also led to accusations of undue French influence, with a shift towards Russia as a strategic partner. France has consistently denied exerting undue influence.
