France rejects Niger coup, condemns ambassador eviction
The Nigerien junta has ordered the French ambassador to the country to leave in 48 hours, according to CNN.
The Nigerien Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move was in response to the ambassador's refusal to attend a meeting with the country's foreign minister on Friday. The ministry also cited "other actions by the French government that are contrary to the interests of Niger."
"France has taken note of the putschists' request," the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement to AFP. "They do not have the authority to make this request. The approval of the ambassador comes only from the legitimate elected Nigerian authorities."
France has called for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted in the coup, and has said it will support the efforts of the regional West African bloc ECOWAS to overturn the coup.
The deterioration in relations between Niger and France reflects the fallout from coups in Mali and Burkina Faso, which have expelled French forces and severed long-standing ties.
Niger is a strategic country, being one of the world's largest producers of uranium and a base for French, American, and other foreign troops that are helping to fight Islamist militant groups in the region.
