A delegation of senior American officials met on Tuesday March 12 in Niamey with several members of the military regime resulting from a coup in Niger, including the prime minister, according to national television. “The Prime Minister, Ali Mahamane Lamime Zeine, met this afternoon with an American delegation led by the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee,” announced Télé Sahel. “The meeting was extended to members of the government and members of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland [CNSP, military regime],” she added, without specifying the content of the exchanges.
At the beginning of the afternoon, the American State Department announced the arrival of Molly Phee, a senior Pentagon official, Celeste Wallander, and the commander in chief of the American military command for Africa (Africom), Michael Langley. This involves “continuing the discussions initiated since August” with the military in power in Niger “on a return to the path of democracy and on the future of our partnership in terms of security and development” , the State Department said in a press release. According to a diplomatic source, the delegation will meet the head of the military regime, General Abdourahamane Tiani, on Wednesday.
Washington suspended cooperation with Niger after the July 26 coup that toppled elected president Mohamed Bazoum. But the United States still has a thousand soldiers in Niger, stationed in a base in the desert and engaged in the anti-jihadist fight, although movements have been limited since the military took power. France was forced to withdraw its troops from Niger. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have since become economically and militarily closer to new partners, including Russia.
