By Tata Mbunwe
The Nigerien military government has banned French citizens from entering the country in the latest escalation of strained relations with France.
Relations between both countries took a downturn following a coup last July that ousted the pro-France president, Mohamed Bazoum.
Airline officials confirmed on Thursday that Nigerien authorities had issued directives instructing them not to permit the entry of any French nationals into the country.
An internal note from Air Burkina, seen by Agence France Presse (AFP), stated, “According to the Nigerien authorities, any passenger of French nationality is no longer authorized to enter Nigerien territory.”
The note emphasized that such passengers would not be accepted aboard their flights.
Royal Air Maroc, one of several airlines servicing Niamey, has also hinted its compliance with the new rule, with the exception of “special authorizations.”
However, other airlines flying to Niamey, including Ethiopian Airlines, Air Tunisie, and Turkish Airlines, have not provided any responses.
Nigerien authorities have yet to issue an official reaction to this latest development.
Diplomatic relations between Niger and France have been strained since the coup of July 24, 2023, where the presidential guard, led by Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane, placed President Mohamed under house arrest.
They cited growing insecurity and poor country management as justifications for the coup.
Subsequently, the Nigerien government went on to accuse France of distanilizing the country, which has been plagued by years of armed conflict.
On September 24, 2023, the Nigerien authorities banned French airplanes from flying in the country’s airspace. The decision marked a further deterioration in relations and showcased the depth of dissatisfaction between the two nations.
Most recently, in a joint announcement on January 28, 2024, Niger, along with interim leaders from other coup-plagued countries – Mali and Burkina Faso – announced its withdrawal from the West African regional organization, ECOWAS.
They accused the organization for its perceived lack of support in the fight against terrorism.
The leaders also condemned what they termed as “illegal, illegitimate, and inhumane” punitive measures adopted by the regional organization against them.
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