France maintains its ambassador in Niger, although the military junta has isolated him in the embassy building

France will keep its ambassador in Niger and reject the pressure of the military junta that runs this country after the coup to remove him from the post, although the new power installed in Niamey has declared him persona non grata, the head of French diplomacy, Catherine, said on Monday Column.

Ambassador Sylvain Itté and several French diplomats “are practically being held hostage in the French embassy” and are only allowed to eat military rations, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.

Catherine Colonna stated on Monday that the ambassador “is fine” and Paris is “constantly examining the evolution of the situation and his security”, but at least at this moment they do not intend to remove him from the post. “It was accredited by the legitimate authorities (of Niger). He is at his post and will remain there as long as we want, as we have no reason to recognize the decision of a power without any legitimacy”, indicated the head of French diplomacy, according to the EFE and Agerpres.

The new authorities in Niger informed France on August 26 that, following “hostile actions against the interests of Niger” by the government in Paris, the French ambassador in Niamey was declared persona non grata and must leave Niger within 48 hours.

But the French diplomat did not comply and is still at the post, at the behest of Paris, which does not recognize the legitimacy of the new government in Niger. Therefore, the military junta that took power in this country through the July 26 coup ordered the police to “proceed to expel” the French ambassador.

However, the police cannot enter the embassy, ​​since, according to the Vienna Convention, the premises of the diplomatic mission are French territory. As a result, Niger’s military has isolated the embassy, ​​and the ambassador “no longer has the possibility to leave”, announced President Macron, who specified that in this case he will act as agreed with President Mohamed Bazoum, removed from power by the coup of state and whom France still considers the legitimate president of Niger.

This country, one of the poorest countries in the world, but strategically important due to its uranium reserves, was until the coup d’état one of the last partners of the US and the EU in the Sahel region, where jihadist groups are active. Former colonial power France and the United States have around 2,500 troops in Niger and are doing their best not to lose influence in this area where the military leaderships of neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso have moved closer to Russia.

The junta in Niamey has already denounced the military agreements with France and announced that it wants a “rapid departure” of the approximately 1,500 French soldiers stationed in Niger.