What remains of the diplomatic channel between Paris and Niamey when two intelligence officers are quietly sent home? That is the question hanging over Franco-Nigerien relations after France declared two agents of Niger’s intelligence service persona non grata. The men, officially assigned to Niger’s embassy in Paris, left French territory in September, and their departure has become the latest marker of a partnership that has been unravelling since the July 2023 coup in Niamey. The stakes are not merely symbolic: they touch consular services, economic ties, regional security coordination and the very possibility of future dialogue.
Two Nigerien agents ordered out of France
France expelled two officers of the Direction générale de la documentation et de la sécurité extérieure (DGDSE), Niger’s intelligence agency, who were formally serving at the Nigerien embassy in Paris. The two men were declared persona non grata on 16 September and left France three days later. A French diplomatic source cited in press reports said their presence could no longer be justified because bilateral cooperation between the two capitals had effectively ceased. A Nigerien source, meanwhile, maintained that one of the agents was suspected of conducting surveillance on Nigerien opposition figures living in France.
The move came as cooperation channels between Paris and Niamey had already shrunk dramatically. It also illustrates how difficult diplomatic missions become when political trust between two states erodes over the long term.
July 2023: the breaking point
To grasp this latest episode, one has to go back to 26 July 2023, when President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by soldiers grouped in the Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie (CNSP), led by General Abdourahamane Tiani.
Paris, which had backed the ousted president and demanded a return to constitutional order, refused to recognise the legitimacy of the new military authorities. Niamey, for its part, denounced France’s stance and rejected what it called interference in its internal affairs.
The crisis quickly moved beyond political statements. On 25 August 2023, Nigerien authorities gave France’s ambassador, Sylvain Itté, 48 hours to leave the country. Paris disputed the decision, arguing that the new authorities lacked the legitimacy to end his posting.
After weeks of standoff, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on 24 September 2023 that the ambassador would leave and that French troops stationed in Niger would be withdrawn. The military pullout was completed by the end of 2023. That sequence marked a major turning point in relations between the two countries.
Expulsions and reciprocal retaliation
The crisis did not stop at the ambassador’s departure. It brought restrictions on nationals, visas and diplomatic activities.
In February 2024, several French citizens were turned back on arrival in Niamey despite holding valid travel documents, with Nigerien authorities demanding specific authorisations for certain French travellers. Paris also revoked several visas granted to Nigerien nationals, in a context of mutual reprisals.
France’s embassy in Niamey subsequently closed, with French authorities citing serious obstacles to carrying out its missions. In May 2024, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs confirmed to the Senate that the closure would continue until further notice.
The current decision targeting two Nigerien agents therefore fits into a long series of measures that have gradually narrowed the scope for direct dialogue between the two states.
A deeper political and security rift
Beyond the expulsions, the Franco-Nigerien crisis reflects a political reorientation in Niger. The military authorities in Niamey have progressively strengthened ties with Mali and Burkina Faso, both also led by military regimes that came to power through coups. The three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which presents itself as a vehicle for reinforcing the political and security sovereignty of its members.
At the same time, the French military presence, long presented by Paris as a key component in the fight against armed groups in the region, has ended in Niger. Nigerien authorities have repeatedly criticised French policy in the Sahel, while Paris has defended its record and denounced obstacles placed before its representatives.
This shift is taking place in a regional context where sovereignty, security, military partnerships and control over resources occupy a central place in public debate.
The expulsion of the two agents also serves as a reminder that even when political relations are deeply degraded, diplomatic missions and intelligence activities remain sensitive matters. The formal presence of personnel linked to intelligence services in an embassy is not, in itself, unusual in international relations. Any accusation of clandestine activity, however, must be examined in the light of verifiable evidence.
What future for dialogue between Paris and Niamey?
The new French measure is another indicator of how weak bilateral relations have become. It does not necessarily mean a total diplomatic break, since Niger’s embassy in Paris remains open. It does confirm, however, that cooperation between the two countries remains heavily constrained.
For Nigerien and French populations alike, the consequences go beyond the diplomatic arena. Reduced institutional exchanges can complicate consular procedures, economic relations, cooperation projects and consultation mechanisms on regional security.
The central question remains the conditions for any eventual normalisation. That would require functioning communication channels, a clarification of disputes and political will on both sides to resume dialogue without abandoning positions each government considers essential.
For now, the expulsion of the two Nigerien agents looks like another episode in a crisis that began in July 2023 and whose effects continue to be felt. Between mistrust, accusations and strategic distancing, Paris and Niamey still face a major challenge: preserving the means of diplomatic communication even as the trust that once underpinned it has been considerably eroded.
