French embassy in Niger officially closed until further notice

The French Foreign Affairs ministry announced Tuesday that its embassy in Niamey will remain close until further notice.

Paris cited in a statement what it called grave impediments on the embassy's missions which go against the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

The ministry listed: “a blockade around the embassy, movement restrictions imposed on staff and an entry ban on diplomatic personnel traveling to Niger"

Consular activities which were managed by the embassy will now be handed over to consulates in West Africa.

Speculations had been rife particularly after French troops exited Niger in mid-December.

According to the statement issued by the French Foreign Affairs ministry, the activities of the Niger embassy will now be conducted from Paris.

The diplomatic representatives will maintain ties with French citizens in Niger and financially support NGOs working in the humanitarian sector to serve local populations.

Paris relations with Niamey soured after a military coup in July.

At the end of August, the Nigerien military regime ordered the expulsion of French ambassador Sylvain Itté.