The Niger Republic has ordered the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to leave the country immediately.
Some foreign staff have started leaving the country after the organization closed its office in the capital, Niamey, on Tuesday.
Up until now, the ruling military junta, which ordered the closure of the humanitarian group’s offices and the immediate departure of foreign staff, has given no clear reason for their action.
The government further stated it is terminating all agreements with the ICRC.
The West African country, which recently withdrew from ECOWAS, has formed the new Alliance of Sahel States (AES) together with Burkina Faso and Mali. The Sahel nation’s military ruler, since taking power in a coup in July 2023, has pivoted its foreign policy away from France towards Russia and China.
Since the coup, Niger’s authorities have expelled both the French and US soldiers fighting against the region’s jihadist threat, as well as the French ambassador.
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The Red Cross had been working in Niger since 1990, recently focusing on aid for victims of years of violence by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
In January, Interior Minister General Mohamed Toumba said the government was taking important measures to ensure the monitoring and supervision of NGOs and development organizations.
“Our investigations have indicated there are many NGOs that are in close association with certain partners that are bringing us war… through their support to the terrorists,” he said.
Niger previously banned the French humanitarian NGO Acted and local non-profit APBE in November, withdrawing their licenses.
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