Niger’s junta scraps security accords with EU after turning to Russia for military cooperation

Despite fighting two jihadist insurgencies, Niger’s military leaders have announced they were scrapping two key security and defense agreements that the West African nations signed with the European Union to help fight the escalating violence in Africa’s Sahel region.
Niger’s junta revoked the important military accords inked with the EU on Monday (4 December), which comes after earlier in the day the country’s army officials and a top Russian defense official agreed to strengthen military cooperation between the two nations. In a memo, Niger’s foreign affairs ministry stated that the government has opted to “withdraw the privileges and immunities granted” under the EU Military Partnership Mission in Niger, which was launched in February, and consequently “has no legal obligation” related to that partnership. It also scrapped the EU Civilian Capacity-Building Mission established in 2012 to strengthen Niger’s internal security sector, effectively revoking its approval for the missions.
Prior to the July coup that deposed the country’s president, Mohamed Bazoum, Niger had been the West and Europe’s last major security partner in the Sahel, the vast territory south of the Sahara Desert that Islamic extremist groups have turned into the worldwide terror hot spot. The developments are the latest in growing political tensions between Niger and the EU since the coup. In a rare visit, a Russian delegation led by Russia’s Deputy Minister of Defence Lounous-Bek Evkourov met with Niger’s junta leaders, with the two countries agreeing to boost military cooperation. According to analysts, although regional and international sanctions to force the junta to reverse its coup have put pressure on the country, they have also emboldened the military government as it consolidates its hold on power and seeks new alliances.