The United States ordered the departure of non-essential employees from the United States Embassy in Niamey through a statement on Wednesday. Following the coup against Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, the State Department announced that, due to the growing political crisis, embassy members and their families must return to the United States immediately. In addition, it raised its alert level for Niger from three to four and advised US citizens not to travel to the country due to security concerns.
The statement confirmed that the US embassy has reduced its activities and ceased all its daily operations in Niamey. Since Wednesday, many US citizens have been leaving the African country on French and Italian repatriation flights from the capital.
According to the State Department, US personnel will be flown out of Niger on State Department-chartered planes. The statement states that members of the embassy can only intervene in the case of an emergency. However, the mission will remain open and high-ranking officials will continue to work from the country.
The United States condemned the ousting of President Bazoum but, unlike France and other European countries, had not ordered evacuations or cut off aid to Niger, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller announced in a statement that there were no indications of threats against Americans in Niger or against American installations such as the embassy. “In general, the situation in Niamey remains calm, but it is changing,” the spokesman said.
Miller confirmed that the United States remains “diplomatically engaged at the highest level,” adding that the embassy will remain open for limited emergency services to US citizens. The US announcement came after Niger’s new strongman announced that government institutions will not reinstate Bazoum despite pressure from neighboring countries.
