Aid or interference? Niger rejects EU diplomat over 'unauthorised' activity

Niger said it could no longer work with the European Union's ambassador, who decided it was okay for him to distribute money to NGOs in the wake of deadly floods without the Niger government's approval.

The African country has requested the EU ambassador's replacement "as soon as possible". The bloc has already recalled its envoy over the row surrounding the disbursement of 'emergency aid'.

Niger's officials on Friday accused EU ambassador Salvador Pinto da Franca of distributing $1.36 million in aid for flood victims to non-governmental organisations without first informing the authorities.

The EU expressed its "profound disagreement" with the accusations on Saturday and recalled its ambassador for consultations in Brussels.

Undermining local governance: Western patronisation

Niger's foreign ministry fired back Sunday, saying it had warned da Franca in October over "unauthorised operations" it claimed had nonetheless continued.

"In view of this stubbornness... the Government has come to the conclusion that collaboration with the European Union Ambassador, Mr Salvador Pinto da Franca, is no longer possible, and has therefore officially requested his recall and replacement as soon as possible," the statement said.

Torrential rains have caused devastating floods in the Sahel country, killing more than 300 people and displacing more than 1.1 million since June.

But the ministry said it had never appealed to the EU for help, claiming Niger would "cover the damage caused by the floods from its own funds".

Sahel pushes back

Since taking power in a coup in July 2023, the country's military rulers have turned their backs on former colonial ruler France and grown increasingly frosty towards the European Union.

This geopolitical shift is part of a broader push to assert national sovereignty and move away from the vestiges of colonial influence, aligning more closely with neighbouring countries Mali and Burkina Faso, which have also rejected Western intervention following their own military takeovers.

Tensions with France escalated in August 2023 when Niger’s government announced the end of security and defence cooperation agreements with Paris, followed by the expulsion of French troops.

More than a diplomatic spat

A key moment in the growing rift between Niger and its former colonial power came with the decision to revoke a uranium mining license held by the French company Orano.

Niger, a major uranium producer, supplies France with approximately 15 percent of its uranium, a critical input for the country’s nuclear energy sector.

The revocation underscores Niger’s growing determination to regain control over its natural resources, long exploited by French corporations, and to reduce the economic dependency imposed by its colonial past.