Two days after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his envoy to Niger would return within hours following the decision to withdraw French forces from the African nation, the whereabouts of Ambassador Sylvain Eté remain unclear. In a surprising turn on Sunday, Macron stated that the French anti-terrorism forces, numbering 1,500 soldiers, would finally withdraw from its former colony after a two-month crisis triggered by the military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
France has refused to recognize the new government in Niger and Macron accused it of holding the ambassador hostage. The military that has seized power in Niamey canceled military cooperation agreements as well as the ambassador's diplomatic immunity, and it has requested the ambassador's departure for nearly a month. The French embassy in Niger has been closed for several weeks, with sporadic protests occurring around it, increasing pressure on Paris to return its ambassador, an act that Macron has, in principle, rejected.
According to diplomatic sources, electricity and water have been cut off from the building, and the team is living on military rations. There were no clear signs of any unusual activity around the embassy on Tuesday. When asked by media about the fate of the ambassador, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre declined to disclose details regarding his return or acknowledge any issues related to it. She also refused to confirm whether the ambassador is still in Niamey or how many diplomatic staff remain at the embassy.
