The US Department of Defence announced on Tuesday that it had suspended counter-terrorism training in Niger following a coup in the country.
Niger is a vital part of regional US counter-terrorism efforts. It is one of the few countries in the region that agreed to house US drone bases as well as hundreds of American special forces and logistics experts focused on the fight against Boko Haram and ISIS.
“As far as security co-operation, those efforts right now are suspended in light of the situation,” Pentagon spokesman Brig Gen Pat Ryder said.
“But certainly we've seen close contact with our Niger military counterparts in the country, as the situation continues to unfold.”
The US has about 1,100 troops stationed in Niger. There are no immediate plans to pull them from the country, Brig Gen Ryder said.
According to Reuters, from 2017 to 2022, the US committed $281 million in security assistance for counter-terrorism operations, law enforcement, justice institutions and other uses to Niger.
Members of the Nigerien military orchestrated a coup last Wednesday against democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, the seventh military takeover in less than three years in West and Central Africa.
The action has sent shock waves across Africa, pitting Niger's former western allies against the likes of Russia and other junta leaders in the region.
France, which ruled Niger until the 1960s, has begun evacuating its citizens from the country after its embassy in Niamey was attacked days after the coup.
Other European citizens residing in the country have been urged by their own governments to join the French evacuation.
Brig Gen Ryder said there was no “imminent threat against any US personnel or American citizens”, noting that he was not aware of any US evacuation operations “at this time”.
Over at the State Department, spokesman Matthew Miller also said the US had not initiated any evacuation plans.
“Our embassy is open today operating on a normal schedule,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Tuesday.
“We're monitoring the efforts by France and other Europeans to evacuate their citizens. We urge Nigerien authorities to facilitate an orderly, safe evacuation. At this time, we do not have indications of threats to US citizens or facilities but we are continually re-evaluating our posture to ensure the safety of our citizens.”
Mr Miller's remarks echoed an earlier statement from National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, who said: “We don't have any indications of direct threats to US citizens or to our facilities, so we have not changed our posture with respect to our presence in Niger at this time.”
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
India Test squad
Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
