Relationship dossier
France
Niger
Relationship assessment
A longstanding cooperative relationship was sharply disrupted by Niger’s 2023 coup and the termination of French military presence.
France toward Niger
-35France had provided development assistance and military cooperation to Niger. After the 2023 coup, France suspended some cooperation and aid, opposed the junta’s seizure of power, and withdrew its troops after Niger’s authorities demanded their departure.
Niger toward France
-50After the 2023 coup, Niger’s authorities repudiated military agreements with France, demanded the departure of French troops, and ordered the French ambassador to leave. French forces completed their withdrawal by the end of 2023.
Overall relationship
-35The relationship’s durable foundations included extensive French assistance and security cooperation, but the 2023 coup led to a major political rupture, the repudiation of military arrangements, and the end of France’s troop presence. That sharp breakdown outweighs the earlier cooperative structure in the present bilateral relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
France and Niger had a long-running relationship involving French development assistance and military cooperation. Following Niger’s 2023 coup, the relationship deteriorated sharply: France suspended some cooperation and aid, while Niger’s authorities repudiated military agreements and demanded the departure of French forces and the French ambassador. French troops left Niger by the end of 2023. The earlier cooperative relationship and subsequent rupture both shape the current assessment.
Areas of tension
- Niger’s 2023 coup and France’s opposition to the junta
- Niger’s termination of military agreements and demand for French troop withdrawal
- The expulsion of France’s ambassador from Niger
- French suspension of some assistance and cooperation
Key developments
Niger’s military authorities seized power in a coup, prompting France to oppose the junta and suspend some cooperation and aid.
Niger’s authorities repudiated military agreements with France and demanded the departure of French forces.
France announced the withdrawal of its ambassador and military personnel from Niger.
French troops completed their withdrawal from Niger.
Major uncertainties
- The scope of French development and other civilian cooperation after the 2023 rupture is unclear.
- The extent to which bilateral agreements could be restored under future governments is uncertain.