President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern on Friday over the situation of France’s envoy to Niger, stating that the ambassador is effectively being held captive inside the French embassy. Macron also accused the military rulers in Niger of obstructing the delivery of food supplies to the embassy, stating that the ambassador is subsisting on military rations. The military leaders of Niger had previously ordered the French ambassador, Sylvain Itte, to leave the country following their overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum.
However, the French government has refused to comply with this demand or recognize the legitimacy of the military regime. Macron emphasized that the ambassador is unable to leave the embassy and is being denied food. He indicated that any decision regarding the ambassador’s return would be made in consultation with President Bazoum, whom Macron considers the legitimate authority in Niger. 
France has a significant military presence in Niger, with approximately 1,500 soldiers stationed there. The new leaders of Niger have terminated military cooperation agreements with France and requested the swift withdrawal of French troops. Macron has consistently rejected the demand to recall the French ambassador, a stance supported by the European Union, which also does not recognize the current authorities in Niger. The Sahel region, located south of the Sahara, has experienced a series of coups in recent years, leading to the replacement of elected governments with military regimes in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger, a situation that Macron has described as an “epidemic.”
