Foreign relations of Niger

Not to be confused with Foreign relations of Nigeria.

Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with both East and West.^[1] It is a member state of the United Nations. Niger maintains a special relationship with France and enjoys close relations with its West African neighbours.

Multilateral relations

US Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meet with Niger Ambassador to the United Nations Abdou Abarry

It is a charter member of the Organization of African Unity and the West African Monetary Union. Also, it belongs to the Niger Basin Authority and the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Economic Community of West African States, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Niger belongs to the United Nations and its main specialized agencies and, in 1980-81, served on the UN Security Council. The first president of Niger, Hamani Diori, maintained close relations with the West and became internationally prominent in his diplomatic work, seeking to broker resolutions to conflicts in Africa and beyond. His involvement as a negotiator was particularly prominent during the Nigerian Civil War.^[2]

Niger maintains a permanent purpose to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, at 417 East 50th Street. In 2009, its Ambassador to the United Nations was Ibrahim A. Abani.^[3]

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Niger maintains diplomatic relations with:

#	Country	Date
1	Germany	2 August 1960[4]
2	United Kingdom	3 August 1960[5]
3	United States	3 August 1960[6]
4	France	4 August 1960[7]
5	Japan	16 March 1961[8]
6	Switzerland	26 May 1961[9]
7	Nigeria	8 June 1961[10]
8	South Korea	27 July 1961[11]
9	Ghana	24 August 1961[12]
10	Belgium	22 September 1961[13]
11	Italy	23 September 1961[14]
—	Israel (suspended)	9 November 1961[15]
12	Netherlands	20 December 1961[16]
13	Liberia	1961[17]
14	Sierra Leone	1961[17]
15	Lebanon	11 March 1962[18]
16	Guinea	20 March 1962[19]
17	Canada	27 April 1962[20]
18	Mali	1 August 1962[21]
19	Togo	26 October 1962[22]
20	Luxembourg	18 December 1962[23]
21	Egypt	7 July 1963[24]
22	Morocco	1 October 1963[25]
23	Sudan	1963[26]
24	Norway	24 January 1964[27]
25	Sweden	1964[28]
26	Austria	30 January 1965[29]
27	Algeria	12 March 1965[30]
28	Denmark	25 May 1965[31]
29	Spain	May 1965[32]
30	Ethiopia	6 October 1965[33]
31	Pakistan	15 October 1965[34]
32	Libya	17 November 1965[35]
33	Peru	November 1965[36]
34	Syria	13 September 1966[37]
35	Saudi Arabia	20 November 1966[38]
36	Kuwait	22 November 1966[38]
37	Turkey	30 March 1967[39]
38	Gabon	22 April 1968[40]
39	Tunisia	24 April 1968[41]
40	Romania	20 June 1969[42]
41	Mauritania	4 December 1969[43]
42	Democratic Republic of the Congo	1969[44]
43	Iceland	26 January 1970[45]
—	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	9 January 1971[46]
44	Poland	30 June 1971[47]
—	Holy See	20 July 1971[48]
45	Russia	17 February 1972[49]
46	Serbia	17 March 1972[50]
47	Hungary	3 February 1973[51]
48	Senegal	2 March 1973[52]
49	Bulgaria	5 March 1973[53]
50	Ivory Coast	30 October 1973[54]
51	Cameroon	13 February 1974[55]
52	China	20 July 1974[56]
53	North Korea	6 September 1974[57]
54	Bahrain	11 November 1974[58]
55	Vietnam	7 March 1975[59]
56	Uganda	8 April 1975[60]
57	Iran	11 June 1975[61]
58	Argentina	23 June 1975[62]
59	United Arab Emirates	9 July 1975[63]
60	Portugal	10 July 1975[64]
61	Brazil	24 October 1975[65]
62	Mexico	6 November 1975[66]
63	Finland	28 November 1975[67]
64	Czech Republic	22 December 1975[68]
65	Rwanda	1975[69]
66	Cuba	25 April 1976[70]
67	India	18 July 1977[71]
68	Barbados	25 June 1979[72]
69	Guyana	25 June 1979[73]
70	Jamaica	25 June 1979[74]
71	Greece	June 1979[75]
72	Trinidad and Tobago	1979[76]
73	Albania	18 June 1980[77]
74	Angola	28 August 1980[78]
75	Oman	3 September 1980[79]
76	Gambia	23 February 1981[80]
77	Central African Republic	9 May 1981[81]
78	Kenya	12 May 1981[81]
79	Burkina Faso	30 June 1981[82]
80	Philippines	16 December 1981[83]
81	Haiti	17 December 1981[84]
82	Benin	14 May 1982[85]
83	Thailand	30 July 1982[83]
84	Qatar	14 September 1982[86]
85	Bangladesh	17 February 1983[87]
86	Yemen	4 January 1985[88]
87	Zimbabwe	10 February 1986[89]
88	Colombia	5 October 1988[83]
—	State of Palestine	18 January 1989[90]
89	Brunei	1 May 1990[91]
90	Jordan	25 July 1990[92]
91	South Africa	9 May 1994[93]
92	Slovakia	26 April 1995[94]
93	Azerbaijan	10 October 1995[95]
94	Bosnia and Herzegovina	18 October 1995[96]
95	Singapore	1 June 1998[97]
—	Ukraine (suspended)[98]	1 October 1999[83]
96	North Macedonia	15 November 2000[83]
97	Cyprus	17 September 2002[99]
98	Venezuela	8 October 2005[100]
99	Estonia	12 October 2005[101]
100	Slovenia	22 June 2006[83]
101	Laos	8 December 2006[83]
102	Botswana	21 December 2006[83]
103	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	31 May 2007[83]
104	Guatemala	13 November 2007[83]
105	Ireland	Before April 2008[102]
106	Malta	11 December 2008[83]
107	Liechtenstein	17 December 2008[103]
108	Djibouti	20 April 2009[104]
109	Australia	7 May 2009[83]
110	Paraguay	2010[105]
111	Indonesia	21 September 2011[106]
112	Belarus	29 March 2012[107]
113	Latvia	17 April 2012[108]
114	Malaysia	24 April 2012[109]
—	Georgia	30 May 2012[83]
115	Kosovo	25 January 2013[110]
116	Uruguay	6 March 2013[83]
117	Equatorial Guinea	5 November 2013[111]
118	Namibia	26 March 2014[112]
119	Mozambique	29 March 2014[113]
120	Lithuania	30 May 2014[83]
121	Fiji	9 September 2014[83]
122	Montenegro	12 September 2014[83]
123	Seychelles	18 November 2014[114]
124	Mongolia	25 March 2015[83]
125	Madagascar	13 January 2016[115]
126	Malawi	8 March 2016[116][117]
127	Armenia	26 November 2016[118]
128	Tanzania	23 March 2017[119]
129	Lesotho	17 August 2017[120]
130	Tajikistan	26 August 2017[121]
131	Nepal	20 September 2017[83]
132	Kazakhstan	21 September 2017[83]
133	Mauritius	26 March 2018[83]
134	Dominican Republic	28 September 2018[122]
135	Nicaragua	8 August 2019[83]
136	Monaco	9 October 2019[123]
137	Comoros	21 November 2020[124]
138	Guinea-Bissau	10 February 2021[125]
139	Turkmenistan	22 June 2021[83]
140	Burundi	25 April 2023[126]
141	South Sudan	19 July 2023[127]
142	Eritrea	17 November 2023[128][129]
143	Cambodia	Unknown (Before 1984)[130]
144	Cape Verde	Unknown
145	Chad	Unknown
146	Republic of the Congo	Unknown
147	Iraq	Unknown
148	New Zealand	Unknown
149	Zambia	Unknown

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Algeria	12 March 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 March 1965 when the government of Niger has agreed to the nomination of M. Ali Abdellaoui as Algeria's Ambassador in Niamey with residence in Abidjan[30]
Angola	28 August 1980	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 August 1980 when Ambassador of Niger to Angola Mr. Joseph Diatta presented his letters of credentials to President M. Jose Eduardo Dos Santos.[78]
Austria	30 January 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 January 1965 when has been appointed Ambassador of Niger to Austria (resident in Bonn) Mr. Abdou Sidikou.[29]
Belgium	22 September 1961	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 September 1961 when first Ambassador of Belgium to Niger , M.Gérard Walravens presented his credentials to President Diori Hamani.[13]
Benin		Despite the occasional recurrence of a border conflict over Lété Island in the Niger River, Benin and Niger, both former French subjects of French West Africa, relations are close. Niger relies on the port at Cotonou, and to a lesser degree Lomé (Togo), and Port Harcourt (Nigeria), as its main route to overseas trade. Niger operates a Nigerien Ports Authority station, as well as customs and tax offices in a section of Cotonou's port, so that imports and exports can be directly transported between Gaya and the port. French Uranium mines in Arlit, which produce Niger's largest exports by value, travel through this port to France or the world market.
Canada	27 April 1962	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 April 1962[20] Canada is accredited to Niger from its embassy in Bamako, Mali.[131] Niger is accredited to Canada from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.[132]
Central African Republic	9 May 1981	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 May 1981 when first Ambassador of Niger to Central African Republic with residence in Yaounde Mr. Moustapha Tahi , presented his credentials to President David Dacko.[81]
Chad		Chad has an embassy in Niamey. Niger has an embassy in N'Djamena.
China	20 July 1974	See China–Niger relations China established diplomatic relations with Niger on July 20, 1974. On June 19, 1992, the transitional government of Niger declared the reestablishment of the "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan. The Chinese Government thus announced its suspension of diplomatic relations with Niger on July 30 of the same year. On August 19, 1996, China and Niger re-established diplomatic relations.[56] China has an embassy in Niamey. Niger has an embassy in Beijing.
Ethiopia	6 October 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 October 1965 when first Ambassador of Ethiopia to Niger (resident in Lagos) Mr. Davit Abdou presented his credentials[33]
France	4 August 1960	See France–Niger relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 August 1960[7] Niger has maintained close ties with France, its former colonial power. Following Niger's independence in 1960, France maintained several hundred advisers at all levels of Niger's government and military. In the 1960s, the Military of Niger was drawn entirely from Nigerien former members of the French Colonial Forces: officered by Frenchmen who agreed to take joint French-Nigerien citizenship. In 1960 there were only ten African officers in the Nigerien army, all of low rank. President Diori signed legislation to end the employment of expatriate military officers in 1965, some continued to serve until the 1974 coup, when all French military presence was evacuated.[133] As well, the French had maintained until 1974 around 1,000 troops of the 4th Régiment Interarmes d'Outre-Mer [134] (Troupes de Marine) with bases at Niamey, Zinder, Bilma and Agadez. In 1979 a smaller French force was again based permanently in Niger.[135] Franco-Nigerien relations continue to be close, with France as Niger's top export partner (in value), and the French government being almost entirely dependent upon Niger for the Uranium which fuels its extensive Nuclear Power system, mined in the northern town of Arlit.[136] France has an embassy in Niamey. Niger has an embassy in Paris.
Gabon	22 April 1968	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 April 1968 when Gabon's first Ambassador to Niger , M. Moktar Abdoulaye Mbingt , presented his credentials to President Diori.[40]
Germany	2 August 1960	See Germany–Niger relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 August 1960[4] Germany has an embassy in Niamey.[137] Niger has an embassy in Berlin.[138]
Ghana	24 August 1961	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 August 1961 when has been appointed first Ambassador of Niger to Ghana M. Tanimoune Ary.[12]
India	18 July 1977	See India–Niger relations India has an embassy in Niamey.[139][140] Niger maintains an embassy in New Delhi.[141]
Italy	23 September 1961	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 September 1961 when first Ambassador of Italy to Niger M. Renzo Luigi Romanelli , presented his credentials to President of Niger Diori Hamani.[14] In December 2017, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni announced that 470 Italian soldiers would be deployed to Niger in an effort to mitigate the European migrant crisis.[142]
Kenya	12 May 1981	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 May 1981 when Ambassador of Niger to Kenya presented his credentials to President Daniel Arap Moi.[81]
Kosovo	25 January 2013	Niger officially recognised the Republic of Kosovo on 15 August 2011.[143] Kosovo and Niger established diplomatic relations on 25 January 2013.[110]
Lebanon	11 March 1962	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 March 1962, when first Lebanese Ambassador to Niger presented his creentials to President Hamani Diori[18]
Libya	17 November 1965	See Libya–Niger relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 November 1965.[35] Libya has an embassy in Niamey. Niger has an embassy in Tripoli.
Mali	1 August 1962	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 August 1962[21] Niger has close relations with its neighbour Mali, with large scale trade links and sizable population movement between the two nations. Both were subject states in French West Africa. Niger and Mali have fought related Tuareg insurgencies in their respective northern territories in the 1990s and mid-2000s. The road border entering Niger from Benin at Gaya. Niger relies on its neighbors, especially Benin and Nigeria for seaports which provide access to world markets.
Mexico	6 November 1975	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 November 1975[66] Mexico is accredited to Niger from its embassy in Abuja, Nigeria.[144] Niger is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.[132]
Nigeria	8 June 1961	See Niger–Nigeria relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 June 1961 when M. Elhad Camatte Hammodon Maiga, ambassador of Niger to Nigeria presented his letters of credentials to the Governor General Azikiwe[10] Nigeria maintains close relations with the Republic of Niger, in part because both nations share a large Hausa minority on each side of their 1,500 km (930 mi) border. Hausa language and cultural ties are strong, but there is little interest in a pan-Hausa state.[145] The two nations formed the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Cooperation (NNJC), established in March, 1971 with its Permanent Secretariat in Niamey, Niger.[146] Niger has an embassy in Abuja. Nigeria has an embassy in Niamey.
Pakistan	15 October 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 October 1965[34] Pakistan supports Niger's territorial and sovereign integrity and rejects Libya's advances as aggression.
Spain	May 1965	See Niger–Spain relations Niger is accredited to Spain from its embassy in Paris, France. Spain has an embassy in Niamey.
Turkey	30 March 1967	See Niger–Turkey relations Niger has an embassy in Ankara.[147] Turkey has an embassy in Niamey.[147] Trade volume between the two countries was US$72 million in 2019.[147]
Uganda	8 April 1975	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 April 1975 when accredited first Ambassador of Niger to Uganda (resident in Addis Ababa) Mr. Oumarou Garba Youssaufou[60]
United Kingdom	3 August 1960	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 August 1960 when Mr. R. J. Stratton was appointment as Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the United Kingdom to Niger.[5]
United States	3 August 1960	See Niger–United States relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 August 1960[6] A conservative foreign policy has meant that under Niger's first president and—following military coup—the 1974–1991 military government, Niger maintained good relations with the United States, Israel, and NATO governments in general. During the Cold War, Niger maintained a non-confrontational attitude to the Soviet Union and its allies.[148] Niger has an embassy in Washington, D.C. United States has an embassy in Niamey.

Other

Niger's office in Accra, Ghana

Niger has only 24 permanent embassies abroad, although more have permanent representation in Niamey, either through national embassies or other representatives. The United Kingdom, for instance, operates its permanent office for relations to Niger from Accra, Ghana, while Niger's permanent representative resides at the Nigerien Embassy in Paris.

Many other small or distant nations have no formal diplomatic relations with Niamey except through their respective consulates at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Australia, for instance, only signed the instruments of formal diplomatic relations with Niamey on 7 May 2009, through their respective consular officials at the UN.^[3]

Border disputes

Libya has in the past claimed a strip along their border of about 19,400 km² in northern Niger. There have been several decades of unresolved discussions regarding the delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad between Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon. The lack of firm borders, as well as the receding of the lake in the 20th century led to border incidents between Cameroon and Chad in the past. An agreement has been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.

Niger has an ongoing conflict with Benin over Lété Island, an island in the River Niger approx. 16 kilometres long and 4 kilometres wide, located around 40 kilometers from the town of Gao, Niger. Together with other smaller islands in the River Niger, it was the main object of a territorial dispute between Niger and Benin, which had begun when the two entities were still under French rule. The island, and seasonally flooded land around it is valuable to semi-nomadic Puel cattle herders as a dry season pasturage. The two countries had almost gone to war over their border in 1963 but finally chose to settle by peaceful means. In the early 90s a joint delimitation commission was tasked with solving the issue but could not reach an agreement. In 2001 the two parties chose to have the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decide on the matter once and for all. In 2005, the ICJ ruled in Niger's favour.^[149]

Niger has ongoing processes delimiting sections of their borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, disputes which date back to the colonial period. These entities, along with Benin and other nations which do not border Niger, were semi independent elements of French West Africa. Within the colonial administration, borders were frequently changed, with Niger colony once possessing large portions of what is now Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as much of northern Chad, later associated with French Equatorial Africa. Disputes between these post-independence nations have been minor and peaceful.

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Niger
• List of diplomatic missions of Niger