Niger military rulers order UN official out within 72 hours

Niger's military rulers have demanded that the head of the United Nations' diplomatic mission in the country leave within 72 hours.

In a statement dated October 10, Niger's foreign ministry accuses the UN of using "obstacles", to stop the west African nation from fully participating in last month's UN General Assembly.

Madam Louise Aubin has been in post since January 2021.

During the 78th session of the UN General Assembly held in September, a representative of Niger who was initially set to take the floor did not.

According to a diplomatic source cited by the AFP, the organization had received two competing requests to address the assembly: one from the military rulers and one from the toppled government.

At the time, the military leaders criticised "perfidious actions" of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, accusing him of obstructing their participation in the body's General Assembly.

In response, Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN chief said that "in the event of competing credentials from a member state, the UN chief refers the matter to the body's Credentials Committee, for deliberation." Adding the Secretary-General "does not deicide" on such a matter.

The 9-member committee reports to the Assembly on the credentials of representatives.

The body has for instance has postponed several times its decisions on Burma and Afghanistan. The two countries are still represented at the UN by the ambassadors of the former governments.