Paris starts evacuation flights
Travel warning: Germans should leave Niger
08/01/2023, 4:55 p.m
Dozens of Germans are said to be still in Niger, Africa. After the military coup, the security situation in the country deteriorated rapidly. The Foreign Office issues a travel warning and advises a flight with French evacuation machines.
The Federal Foreign Office has issued a travel warning for the Sahel state of Niger and advised all Germans there to leave the country. In its updated travel advice, the Federal Foreign Office is addressing the Germans remaining in Niger directly: “Check whether your stay is still absolutely necessary and, if necessary, use the next available opportunity to leave the country.”
Shortly before, a foreign ministry spokesman had advised Germans in Niger to take advantage of an offer of help from the French government to help them leave the country. The Foreign Office advises “in principle all German nationals in Niamey to accept the offer,” the spokesman said in Berlin.
According to the spokesman, the French Foreign Ministry had offered to take German nationals on board evacuation flights from Niger “within the scope of existing capacities”. The German embassy in Niamey is “in contact with local German nationals, will provide logistical support and will remain in Niamey until further notice.”
Last week, the Nigerien military staged a coup in the West African country and arrested President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been in office since 2021. At the end of the week, the previous head of the Presidential Guard, General Abdourahamane Tiani, declared himself the new ruler.
“Special flight” for Italians
France began evacuating its nationals and other Europeans from the West African country today. Italy also announced a flight for its nationals. Three French planes were sent to Niamey. There, around a hundred French people who wanted to leave the country gathered at the airport during the day. Both Nigerien police officers and French soldiers were deployed in uniform and in civilian clothes. However, some French also stated that they wanted to stay in the country for the time being. The return of the three planes is expected in the late evening.
The French consulate in Niger had announced that it was possible to leave the country in small military planes on a voluntary basis. Around 600 French are currently in Niger, in addition to the approximately 1,500 soldiers stationed there. The number of Germans in the country is estimated at fewer than 100, in addition to the approximately 100 Bundeswehr soldiers.
It is the first major evacuation of French people from the Sahel. There have been coups in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020. According to official information, the decision to evacuate was made due to the deteriorating security situation on site. On Sunday, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the embassy of the former French colonial power in Niamey and some tried to break into the building. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris also justified the evacuation operation with the closure of Niger’s airspace, which made it impossible for Europeans to leave the country independently with flights.
The Italian government also announced a “special flight” for Italians “who want to leave the country”. But it is “not an evacuation”. According to Rome, there are around 90 Italians in the Nigerien capital Niamey, and there are almost 500 nationwide.