NIAMEY: Niger’s military leaders have announced to end two European Union security and defense missions in the country, despite battling with two long-running jihadist insurgencies, Western media reported on Monday.
According to media reports the country’s foreign ministry said that it was ending the agreement between Niger and the European Union on the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) mission in the African states.
The EU under the CSDP, in 2012 launched a Niamey-based civilian capacity-building mission named EUCAP Sahel Niger, that supported Niger’s internal security forces, authorities and non-governmental actors.
Niger’s foreign ministry also called for withdrawal of an EU military partnership mission in Niger. The mission was a military partnership known as EUMPM, launched in February at the request of the Nigerien authorities.
Partnership aimed to boost capability of Niger Armed Forces
The partnership was aimed to boost the capability of the Niger Armed Forces to contain the terrorist threat.
Niger is battling two jihadist insurgencies in its southeast from a conflict in neighbouring state Nigeria, and an offensive by militants in Mali and Burkina Faso.
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The country has under military leaders since the overthrow of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July this.
Earlier, a Russian delegation met with Niger’s military leaders in Niamey with the two states agreeing to boost military cooperation.
