Tensions between Niger and France have taken another turn after Niger’s military government accused Paris of supporting a failed military mutiny.
The accusation follows an attempted uprising that targeted key military facilities and government positions in the capital, Niamey.
Niger’s authorities say France was involved in efforts to destabilise the military government. France has strongly rejected the allegation, describing it as false.
The confrontation adds another chapter to the troubled relationship between Niger and France since the military takeover in Niger.
The West African country has moved away from its former French security partnership and strengthened its relationship with Russia.
Reports indicate that Russian personnel helped Nigerien forces during the recent crisis.
Why it matters
The dispute is bigger than Niger and France.
It reflects a wider change in Africa’s relationship with former colonial powers, particularly in the Sahel, where military governments in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have increasingly rejected French influence.
It also shows how security struggles in the region are becoming linked to a wider geopolitical contest.
Monafrika Take:
The accusations between Niamey and Paris show that the old relationship between France and its former West African colonies is far from what it used to be.
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