Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have signed a Sahel security pact

President Macron lamented that the envoy in Niamey has been reduced to military rations

Thousands rallied Saturday in Niger's capital Niamey to demand that former colonial ruler France withdraw its troops as sought by a junta which seized power in June.

Niger's military junta said it revoked the diplomatic immunity of France's ambassador and ordered police to expel him from the country, according to a statement. The French foreign ministry has said the junta, which seized power last month, has "no authority" to expel the French ambassador. 

French President Emmanuel Macron called for a strengthening of France's diplomatic efforts amid a changing world order in his annual address to French ambassadors on Monday.

My country Niger is never normally "front page news" but that all changed on 26 July.

Niamey cited hostile actions by Paris, as it braces for a possible attack by ECOWAS

ECOWAS insists it is preferable for the new military rulers to return power to civilians sooner than the three-year plan

Such a move by West African leaders “would be an unprecedented contradiction,” according to a policy analyst

Ecowas says it is ready to restore democracy and describes president Mohamed Bazoum as a hostage.

Coup leaders’ refusal to welcome delegation meant to discuss return to civilian government raises risk of regional war

The West African regional bloc’s plan for a possible military intervention in Niger entails a force of 25,000, RFI has reported

All of Sahel could “fall to Russian influence”, Mohamed Bazoum has claimed

Niamey will respond to any “aggression” by the West or ECOWAS, the generals said

France’s first evacuation plane left Niger on Tuesday with more than 250 people on board, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said. France had said it planned to evacuate its nationals and EU citizens from the West African country following a military coup last Wednesday that unleashed protests against the former colonial power. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).

Coup supporters denounce former colonial power, shout support for Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron described a coup that ousted Niger's elected leader as "dangerous" for the Sahel on Friday, as Western powers scramble to preserve a key ally in the insurgent-stricken region.

Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum has issued a defiant message on Twitter after soldiers announced a coup overnight in the West African nation.

Soldiers claimed to have overthrown the Niger government on Thursday following an apparent coup in the fragile state, after members of the Presidential Guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum.

The African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday condemned an “attempted coup d'État" in Niger and called for President Mohamed Bazoum to be liberated amid reports that members of the presidential guard were holding him inside his palace. The EU's foreign policy chief said Brussels was also "very concerned about current events in Niamey".