When French authorities declared two Nigerien intelligence officers persona non grata, the move exposed just how far the relationship between Paris and Niamey has deteriorated. The two men, officially assigned to Niger’s embassy in Paris, were ordered out on 16 September and left French territory three days later. For anyone tracking the aftermath of the July 2023 coup in Niamey, the expulsions raise a troubling question: with trust this badly damaged, can the two capitals still find a way to talk?
Two intelligence officers ordered to leave France
The agents belonged to the Direction générale de la documentation et de la sécurité extérieure (DGDSE), Niger’s external intelligence service, and were formally accredited to the Nigerien embassy in the French capital. A French diplomatic source described their continued presence as unjustified, pointing to the absence of any bilateral cooperation between the two states. A Nigerien source, meanwhile, claimed that one of the men was suspected of conducting surveillance on Nigerien opposition figures living in France.
The expulsions landed in a landscape where cooperation channels between Paris and Niamey have shrunk to almost nothing. They also highlight the predicament facing diplomatic missions when political trust between two states collapses over the long term.
July 2023: the turning point that changed everything
To grasp what is at stake, it helps to go back to 26 July 2023, when soldiers grouped in the Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie (CNSP), led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.
Paris, which had backed the deposed president and demanded a return to constitutional order, refused to recognise the legitimacy of the new military authorities. Niamey, for its part, condemned France’s stance and rejected what it described as interference in its internal affairs.
From political statements to concrete retaliation
The crisis quickly moved beyond rhetoric. On 25 August 2023, Nigerien authorities gave France’s ambassador, Sylvain Itté, 48 hours to leave the country. Paris disputed the demand, arguing that the new authorities lacked the legitimacy to end his posting.
After weeks of standoff, President Emmanuel Macron announced on 24 September 2023 that the ambassador would return home and that French troops stationed in Niger would be withdrawn.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 shift in relations between the two countries.
A cycle of expulsions and countermeasures
The rupture was not confined to the ambassador’s departure. It brought restrictions on nationals, visas and diplomatic activity.
In February 2024, several French citizens were turned back on arrival in Niamey despite holding valid travel documents. Nigerien authorities at the time required special authorisations for certain French travellers. Paris also revoked several visas granted to Nigerien nationals, in a climate of mutual reprisals.
France’s embassy in Niamey later closed its doors, 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 decision targeting the two Nigerien agents therefore fits into a long series of measures that have steadily narrowed the space for direct dialogue between the two states.
A deeper political and security rift
Beyond the expulsions, the crisis reflects a broader political reorientation in Niger. The military authorities in Niamey have progressively strengthened ties with Mali and Burkina Faso, both also run by 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 portrayed by Paris as a key element 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 actions and denounced the obstacles placed before its representatives.
This evolution unfolds in a regional context where sovereignty, security, military partnerships and control over resources sit at the heart of public debate.
The expulsion of the two agents is also a reminder that even when political relations are deeply degraded, diplomatic missions and intelligence activities remain sensitive matters. The official presence of personnel linked to intelligence services inside an embassy is not, in itself, unusual in international relations. Any accusation of clandestine activity, however, must be weighed against verifiable evidence.
What future for dialogue between Paris and Niamey?
The latest French measure is one more indicator of how weak bilateral relations have become. It does not necessarily amount to a total diplomatic rupture, since Niger’s embassy in Paris remains open. It does confirm, though, that cooperation between the two countries is severely hampered.
For Nigerien and French populations alike, the consequences go beyond the diplomatic arena. Fewer institutional exchanges can complicate consular procedures, economic ties, cooperation projects and consultation mechanisms on regional security.
The central question remains what conditions could pave the way for any normalisation. That would require working communication channels, a clarification of disputes and the political will on both sides to resume dialogue without abandoning positions each government considers essential.
For now, the expulsion of the two Nigerien agents stands as 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 face a major challenge: preserving the means of diplomatic communication even as the trust that once underpinned them has largely eroded.
