The United States has reached an agreement with Niger to withdraw its military forces from the African nation by September 15, according to announcements from the US Defense Department and the Nigerien Ministry of National Defense.
The newly agreed deadline provides the US four months to draw down its fewer than 1,000 remaining troops in Niger, as well as their equipment, including MQ-9 Reaper drones and other assets.
Despite the looming deadline, US officials see potential for a continued relationship with Niger. “They want to maintain a relationship with us,” a senior defense official stated, “and that relationship is certainly informed by where we’ve been with them.”
Niger’s military government had announced in March that it had ended an accord with the US that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the Department of Defense to operate in the country.
Last week, the US delegation met with Niger’s ruling military junta to negotiate an agreement ensuring the secure withdrawal of US forces and the necessary clearances for military flights. Flight clearances had been a major sticking point in these sensitive negotiations. Until now, US troops who left Niger took commercial flights, including some as recently as last week, according to US officials. The remaining troops are focused on drawing down US personnel and equipment still in the country.
The US Defense Department has collaborated with the Nigerien military for over a decade, focusing on counterterrorism efforts in West Africa. Previously, the US operated out of two bases in Agadez and Niamey, enabling surveillance and reconnaissance missions with drones. Currently, US forces are limited to the base in Niamey, the capital, where Russian forces have already begun operating.
“Niger has been really an anchor for our counterterrorism efforts over a decade,” a defense official commented, adding that discussions on future cooperation are ongoing.
However, the nature of this future coordination remains uncertain as the US has already started removing some of its 1,100 military personnel from the country. Despite the military junta’s demand for the US to withdraw its forces, defense officials remain optimistic about a potential future relationship with Niger.
The Nigerien military “did not see this as the closing of the relationship,” noted a senior military official. The senior defense official and senior military official briefed reporters on Sunday afternoon, following a series of meetings between US and Nigerien officials about the withdrawal.
The US delegation was led by Chris Meier, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, while the Nigerien delegation was headed by Col.-Maj. Mamane Sani Kiaou, the Chief of Staff of the Nigerien Army.
The United States and Niger have agreed on a September 15 deadline for the withdrawal of US military forces. The US has four months to draw down its remaining troops and equipment. Despite the withdrawal, US officials are optimistic about maintaining a future relationship with Niger, given the historical cooperation in counterterrorism efforts. Negotiations for the secure withdrawal are ongoing, with both sides committed to ensuring a smooth transition.