By
Niger Express – April 23, 2024
Last Sunday, associations and structures supporting the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) demonstrated to demand the departure of American troops stationed in Agadez.
It was through a big march in the presence of local authorities. The demonstrators accused the American forces of inaction who, despite considerable surveillance resources, do not contribute to the fight against terrorism in Niger.
Displaying banners in the colors of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), but also friendly countries such as Russia, Iran, China, the demonstrators chanted ‘Washington out, get out’.
In his intervention before the organizers of the march, the governor of the Agadez region, Brigadier General Ibrah Boulama declared that “this march is the true manifestation of the commitment of Nigeriens for the total sovereignty of our homeland and those who think and dream of returning to recolonize Africa if necessary by force, let them think again. The new generation of young Nigeriens, young Sahelians and young Africans will never agree to sell off the sovereignty of our country.
It was in 2012 that the government of Mahamadou Issoufou ratified cooperation agreements with Washington which consisted of training and support missions for the Nigerien armed forces.
More than a thousand soldiers, mostly from the US Air Force, occupy a wing of air base 101 in Niamey before being deployed in 2023 to base 201 in Agadez built in 2016 at a cost of millions of dollars.
On the evening of Saturday March 16, the CNSP denounced “in full responsibility with immediate effect, the agreement relating to the status of United States military personnel and civilian employees of the American Department of Defense on the territory of Niger.”
According to the terms of the CNSP press release, the “unfair” text was “unilaterally imposed” by Washington via a simple note verbale.
Newsessentials Blog 
Posted on April 27, 2024
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