Why has Niger declared US military presence in its territory illegal?
Only months after forcing its former colonizer France to withdraw its troops, Niger, West Africa’s largest country, has said the presence of US troops is illegal. This could be a major blow to the US military’s power-projection capacity in the region
ECOWAS lifts sanctions on Niger weeks after Sahel states announce withdrawal from bloc
The West African bloc has lifted a majority of the sweeping sanctions it had imposed on Niger, including border closures and a freezing of state assets. The move followed soon after Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso declared their withdrawal from ECOWAS after forming the Alliance of Sahel States
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger withdraw from ECOWAS
Land area under ECOWAS, which is condemned by West Africa’s popular movements as an agent of French imperialism, has been reduced to less than half after their withdrawal
ECOWAS to hold talks with Niger as Sahel states move to expand ties
The West African regional bloc has decided to negotiate with Niamey for a “short transition roadmap” that can potentially lift sweeping economic sanctions. Meanwhile, Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, is strengthening regional integration
“People make the revolution:” charting an anti-imperialist path in West Africa
Achy Ekissi of the Communist Party of Côte d’Ivoire talks about the coup in Niger, the political changes in the Sahel and the struggle against imperialism. He also talks about the role of the left in these processes
“We will not stand idly by:” Mali warns against repeat of NATO’s Libyan war in Niger
At the UN General Assembly, Mali and Burkina Faso reiterated their rejection of a military intervention against Niger, recalling the devastating 2011 NATO-led war on Libya and its role in fueling violence in the Sahel
French decision to withdraw troops from Niger is a testimony “to the determination and will of the Nigerien people”
After withdrawing from Mali and Burkina Faso, and now on the way out from Niger, Chad is the last of the now practically defunct G5 Sahel country to host a permanent base of France.
Is this the end of French neo-colonialism in Africa?
The recent formation of the Alliance of Sahel States is further proof of the consolidation of anti-French sentiment in the region. Philippe Toyo Noudjenoume, President of the West Africa Peoples’ Organization, says that this sentiment is especially strong in the Sahel region but is common throughout French-speaking Africa
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger form Alliance of Sahel States to advance collective defense
As an ECOWAS military threat looms over Niger, the three countries have formally declared that any act of aggression against one will be considered an aggression against all. The leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have come to power in popularly-backed coups amid mass anti-French anger and rising insecurity in the Sahel
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