Last Monday, May 23rd, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised long-term military and economic support to Niger against Islamist insurgents. The Chancellor visited the 180 soldiers from the German Bundeswehr army, who are currently training Nigerien special forces in Tilla. The military camp is about 50 miles (80 km) from the Malian border. Niger has recently hosted more European special forces since the relationship between Western powers and the military junta neighboring Mari began to deteriorate. This new military threat, coupled with the migratory routes across West African countries towards Europe, has diversified ties between Germany and Niger.
The German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen deemed Niger a strategic partner in 2018 “in the fight against terrorism, organized crime and illegal migration.” Thus, close to 900 German troops were stationed in the Sahelian region, 40 in Niger. The Defense Minister opened the Bundeswehr camp in Niger’s capital Niamey in 2018, but the mission is due to end this year. In response, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remarked in a press conference with Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, “Now it will be a matter for us to identify a good follow-up project.”
The relationship between Germany and Niger has been historically focused on development and cooperation. Niger is one of Germany’s key transit countries for migration in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, Germany has expanded and diversified these ties in the last few years to include regional security and migration. Officials report that Germany has been expanding cooperation with Niger since 2015, partly because of the militant threat and partly because of the routes that take migrants across the West African country’s territory towards Europe.
The relationship between the two countries seems to be strengthening militarily in response to the actions of Mali’s military junta. Earlier this month, Mali’s military junta announced that the country was pulling out of the G5 Sahel force. The G5 Sahel force, established in 2017, is a multinational force in Western Africa, supported by Western powers for years. The force also includes troops from Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania. It was set up to combat jihadists across the region, who killed thousands of innocent people and displaced millions. EU diplomat Joseph Borell called Mali’s isolationist decision “regrettable” and announced that the EU would leave military training stationed in Mali suspended but not fully terminated.
Niger, on the other hand, seems to be strengthening its relationship with European forces. Hosting more EU forces and solidifying military ties with Germany, Niger is consistently strengthening cooperation and protection with Western countries.
