Niger’s junta, which took control in a coup on July 26, announced on Friday that it has given French ambassador Sylvain Itte 48 hours to leave the country.
This move comes as relations between the West African nation and its former colonial ruler, France, continue to worsen.
Similar to recent coups in neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, the military takeover in Niger emerged against a backdrop of growing anti-French sentiment.
Some locals have accused France of meddling in their internal affairs.
In an official statement, the foreign ministry appointed by the junta explained that the decision to expel the French ambassador was in response to actions taken by the French government that were seen as conflicting with Niger’s interests.
One such action cited was the ambassador’s refusal to meet Niger’s new foreign minister despite being invited to do so.
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France has called for President Mohamed Bazoum to be returned to office following his ouster and has said it would support efforts by West African regional bloc ECOWAS to overturn the coup.
It has also not officially recognised a decision by the junta in early August to revoke a raft of military agreements with France, saying these had been signed with Niger’s “legitimate authorities.”
The deterioration in Niger-France relations echoes post-coup developments in Mali and Burkina Faso, which have booted out French forces and severed long-standing ties.
Niger has strategic significance as one of the world’s biggest producers of uranium and as a base for French, U.S. and other foreign troops that are helping to fight Islamist militant groups in the region.
