The Niger government's decision to cancel the military agreement with the United States
Amadou Abdurrahmane, a Niger government spokesman, said in a press release that the country had revoked a military agreement with the United States that allowed the country to have a military presence in Niger.
A spokesman for the Niger government added: “The Government of Niger, taking into account the wishes and interests of the people and in accordance with its responsibilities, has decided to cancel the agreement on the presence of American military personnel and civilian employees in the country of the Ministry of Defense of this country (the Pentagon) on the territory of Niger.”
Noting that the US military presence is illegal and violates all constitutional and democratic laws, Abdur Rahman stressed that the canceled agreement was unfair and was unilaterally imposed by the US on July 6, 2012.
The United States stationed about a thousand soldiers in Niger under the pretext of fighting terrorist organizations. Late last year (2023), the Niger government also terminated military cooperation agreements with France and forced that country to withdraw its troops from Niger on December 22.
In recent years, independent countries, including many in Africa, have changed their political approach to dealing with the outside world and are trying to reduce their dependence on America and Western governments for their decisions.
Leaders of some African countries are trying to lower the level of their relations with these states in order to reduce interference and tension created by Western authorities. European governments have a long history of colonization and intervention in the affairs of African countries, and the practice of various American governments in recent years has also been aimed at interfering and accessing the rich resources of the African continent.
According to economic experts, the African continent has rich mineral resources that are very important for Western companies. Africa contains 96% of the world's diamond reserves, 90% of chromium, 85% of platinum and about 30% of thorium and uranium. Niger accounts for almost five percent of the world's uranium supply.
Uranium is a radioactive metal that provides nuclear energy. Niger is the EU's second-largest supplier of natural uranium and also supplies about 15 percent of France's uranium, according to Euratom, the European Union's nuclear agency.
In recent years, American and European governments have always interfered in the internal affairs of countries of this continent, including Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Somalia, in order to plunder the valuable mineral resources of the African continent, and the result of these interventions is the formation of political crises .And he was a widespread person on this continent.
Much of the internal tension in African countries was also due to the colonial policies of European governments that continued for many years.
The Niger government's move can be seen as an attempt to gain independence and refrain from dependence on Western countries, as well as a warning to America and the White House's European supporters that the African continent is not their backyard as it once was.
African governments are not interested in becoming more dependent on these countries because of the consequences of interference from the US and Western governments. Also, the presence of China and Russia on the African continent has been welcomed by African countries in recent years, and independent governments on the continent have welcomed the expansion of relations with Moscow and Beijing due to the capabilities of these two countries in the economic sector.
The end of the US military presence in Niger shows that African governments prefer to look for other options and not depend on the West for their stability and security and fight Western interference and influence on this continent, as well as achieve independent economic growth.
