NIAMEY, Niger – Niger’s military junta has revoked the operating licence of the French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, Acted, amid escalating tensions with France, marking a further step in the Sahelian country’s break with Western allies.
The Ministry of the Interior issued the decree on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, officially barring Acted from continuing its humanitarian work in Niger.
A local organisation, Niger’s Action for Well-Being, APBE, has also had its licence withdrawn. No reasons were provided for the bans.
Acted, a longstanding presence in Niger since 2010, has primarily worked to assist people displaced by jihadist violence and natural disasters.
The decision to ban the organisation comes as Niger’s military government, which seized power in a coup last year, distances itself from former Western allies and strengthens ties with Russia.
In a symbolic pivot, the junta previously ordered the expulsion of French troops and the French ambassador, a response to what it views as France’s diminishing influence in the Sahel, an arid region plagued by extremist violence.
Additionally, in September, the U.S. military withdrew from Niger after the junta terminated an agreement allowing American troops to operate within its borders.
This shift represents a significant reorientation in regional security, as Niger had been the West’s last reliable ally in the fight against jihadist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State.
The expulsion of Western forces, along with the ban on Acted and APBE, underscores the junta’s realignment away from the West, a trend that has intensified amid rising anti-French sentiment and increasing Russian influence in West Africa.
With these moves, Niger joins a growing list of Sahelian countries, including Mali and Burkina Faso, where military regimes have opted to sever ties with former colonial power France in favour of new alliances.
Niger’s aid landscape now faces increased challenges as fewer international organisations remain in a position to support those displaced by violence and environmental crises.
The recent bans on humanitarian groups have raised concerns about how these communities will access critical aid as Niger’s transition in foreign alliances continues.
