All 1,500 French troops will withdraw from Niger by the end of this year.
On September 24, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would withdraw his ambassador and diplomatic staff immediately and begin withdrawing troops from Niger in the coming weeks.
"France has decided to recall its ambassador to Niger and end military cooperation with Niger," Macron told TF1 and France 2 television channels. The French leader said all 1,500 French troops would withdraw from the West African country by the end of the year. Macron stressed that France "will not be held hostage by the coup plotters."
Following the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, Niger's military leaders demanded that the French ambassador leave. However, Paris did not comply with this request because it did not recognize Niger's military government as the legitimate leader.
On the same day, Niger's military government called the French withdrawal a "historic moment" and "a new step towards Niger's sovereignty".
Earlier, on the night of September 23, Niger's military government banned "French aircraft" from flying over its airspace amid relations between the two countries at their lowest point since the coup. Paris announced it would end military cooperation and cut all development aid to Niamey.