Africans Deserve Better Than Emigration - The American Spectator
American SpectatorSep 04, 2023
The Facts
Niger's military leadership on Friday ordered the French ambassador to leave the West African country within 48 hours as relations between France and its former colony continue to deteriorate.
In a statement, Niger's junta accused Sylvain Itte of ignoring an invitation to meet with the minister of foreign affairs and referred to "actions by the French government contrary to Nigers' interests."
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The fact that the French ambassador was expelled from Niger further proves the growing local and regional resentment against the former colonial ruler. While Paris continues to interfere in Niger's internal affairs and demand the reinstatement of its puppet government, the coup is primarily a product of the "Françafrique" policy, the rejection of the French presence in the country, and France's failed anti-terror campaign.
Pro-establishment narrative
The French ambassador's expulsion marks a new round of hostility and reflects a broader regional ingratitude toward France. What the putschists in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger tend to ignore in their anti-French tirades is that without France's counterterrorism operations, these countries would probably no longer exist. The coup in Niger is a coup against democracy, its people, and its sustenance.
