On 24 September 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the withdrawal of the French ambassador and other diplomats from Niger amid increasing tensions between France and Niger’s new military junta that came to power in July. In August, the junta gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the French ambassador to leave Niger and revoked his diplomatic immunity after the ambassador refused to leave the country. Macron also stated that French military cooperation with Niger will end and nearly 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger will be withdrawn by the end of 2023.
Meanwhile, Niger’s military junta banned all French civilian and military aircraft from operating in its airspace. The prohibition applies to Air France as well as aircraft chartered by the French government.
