Niger’s ambassador to France, Aïchatou Boulama Kané, told the AFP on Friday to “always be” the ambassador to France “of the legitimate President Mohamed Bazoum”, adding that she rejected the Putchists’ decision to terminate her duties “as null and unavoidable”.
“I am still the ambassador of the legitimate President Bazoum Mohamed and I consider myself such,” she said in an interview to the AFP.
The Putchists notification “to terminate (my) duties I consider it null and unavoidable; it was taken by an illegitimate power, I am the ambassador of Niger in France,” hammered the diplomat, serving in France since December 2021.
On Thursday evening, the military perpetrators of a coup in Niger announced an “end” to Niger’s ambassadors in France, the United States, Nigeria and Togo in a statement read on national television, as pressure to restore constitutional order in Niger multiply internationally.
“He has terminated the duties of extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors of the Republic of Niger (… ) to the French Republic”, “Nigeria”, to “the Togola Republic” and “to the United States”, said one of the Putschists.
Aïchatou Boulama Kané specifies that he has received this “by letter” notification, in which the Putchists appoint a business manager to replace her, in this case the first adviser of the Embassy of Niger in France.
“I informed the first adviser that I reject this decision,” the ambassador told the AFP on Friday.
“I am currently in my office; President Bazoum called me yesterday to tell me +go to your office, you have my trust and we will continue the work+,” she reported.
“It’s only him (Mohamed Bazoum) that I recognize, he’s the one who nominated me to President Macron, I stay and remain his ambassador in France,” she added.