French ambassador won’t leave on orders of Niger junta – President Macron hits back

Late last week, the military junta in Niger declared French ambassador Sylvain Itte a ‘persona non grata’ and ordered him to leave the country amid the ongoing coup crisis.

The initial response was that the ambassador was not going to leave because he did not recognize the authority of the junta.

When the 48-hour period reached, hundreds of Nigeriens camped outside the embassy in Niamey demanding that the ambassador quit.

Paris issued its firmest response yet to the Abdouramane Tchiani-led junta on Monday at a gathering addressed by French president Emmanuel Macron.

Macron underlined the fact that the ambassador was not going to be recalled or asked to quit Niger because the junta were not a legitimate political authority.

“Our policy is the right one. It depends on the courage of President Mohamed Bazoum, the commitment of our diplomats, of our ambassador on the ground who is remaining despite pressure,” Macron told a gathering of French ambassadors in Paris.

“One shouldn’t give in to the narrative used by the coup leaders that consists of saying France has become our enemy,” Macron said Monday.

Meanwhile, reports last week that water and electricity supply to the French embassy in Niamey has been dismissed as untrue.

Reports indicate that Nigerien soldiers continue to maintain their positions outside the embassy and staff are allowed in and out of the premises as usual.

SARA

Click here to start the nomination process for the 2023 GhanaWeb Excellence Awards

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

Watch Mintah Akandoh's call for legislation on organ transplantation on The Lowdown:





Watch the launch of the 2023 GhanaWeb Excellence Awards on GhanaWeb TV below:





Share your news stories and ideas with GhanaWeb


To advertise with GhanaWeb