The departure of the French and American troops from Niger created an opportunity for the Russians to replace them. The Russians’ objective is to clearly counter the west and reduce its influence in the Sahel, West Africa and elsewhere on the African continent. The French have naturally been the first to experience trouble with the Sahel. Their exit from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger was greeted with anger in Paris against Moscow, which is seen as the real architect of the French withdrawal from the Sahel. So much so that the Moscow-Paris rivalry has prompted French President Emanuel Macron to suggest NATO troops may be sent to Ukraine to fight against the Russian forces. Such a statement is both serious and a sign of despair in Paris’ military and foreign affairs circles.
In Niger, the Russian presence is not as dense as it is in neighboring Mali, where Russia’s Wagner Group is actually an extension of the Malian military. But Moscow continues to court Niger to increase the presence of its troops there. On 4 May 2024, a third Russia cargo flight landed in Niger, loaded with military equipment and instructors. The flight also brought in humanitarian aid, in what the authorities in Niger qualified as “a step forward in bilateral cooperation, aimed at strengthening Niger’s military capabilities while meeting the pressing needs of its population for basic necessities.” In early April, a first batch of Russian military equipment and instructors arrived in Niamey bringing an air defense system that Niger wants to use to control its airspace.
In early May, a strange transition took place when Russian troops entered into base 101 near the international airport where American soldiers were already settled. US defense chief Lloyd Austin told the media that the forces were in separate sections of the base, insisting it was no big deal.
This situation is all the more delicate for the United States as they are in the middle of discussions on the withdrawal of more than 1,000 American soldiers from Niger, including from the drone base near Agadez, following tensions with the Nigerien junta which denounced the military cooperation agreement in force and described the American presence as “illegal”.
For its part, Moscow remains evasive regarding its presence on air base 101. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov spoke of the development of Russia’s relations with several African countries, without confirming or denying the Russian presence in Niamey. This complex situation reflects the geopolitical issues present in the region and raises questions about the future of military relations between the United States, Russia and African countries.
