Niger Military Rulers Order UN Coordinator Out Within 72hrs

The military rulers who assumed control of Niger following a coup have issued an ultimatum to the United Nations (UN) coordinator, Louise Aubin, demanding her departure from the West African nation within 72 hours. This decision was revealed through a statement obtained by AFP on Wednesday.

The statement, dated Tuesday, was released by Niger’s foreign ministry, instructing Louise Aubin, the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator, to “take all necessary measures to leave Niamey within 72 hours.” The statement cited what it referred to as “obstacles” created by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, which it claimed were hindering Niger’s full and complete participation in the UN General Assembly held last month.

This move comes after the military regime expressed dissatisfaction with what they termed “perfidious actions” on the part of the UN Chief, alleging that these actions could jeopardize efforts to resolve the crisis in Niger.

Bakary Yaou Sangare, who previously served as Niger’s ambassador to the UN and now holds the position of foreign minister under the new leadership, was designated as the representative for the military rulers at the UN General Assembly. However, reports suggest that there was also an application from the ousted government to represent Niamey, causing a delay in the matter. Consequently, no official representative from Niger was included in the list of speakers at the General Assembly.

This expulsion of the UN official follows the decision by France to withdraw its 1,400-strong military presence from Niger, as ordered by the coup leaders. Additionally, France’s ambassador to Niger was also given his marching orders following the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who had been an ally of Paris.

The situation continues to unfold, raising concerns about the diplomatic tensions between Niger and the international community. The international community will be closely monitoring the developments in Niger, given the potential implications for the nation’s stability and regional relations.