International

French ambassador being held hostage in Niger Republic, says Macron

September 16, 2023 11:01 am

France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a tribute ceremony at the Halle aux Grains in Toulouse, southern France, on March 20, 2022, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the attacks perpetrated by Mohamed Merah which killed seven people in 2012. - Merah, a French delinquent who had turned to fundamentalism, killed a French soldier on March 11, 2012, two others on March 15 and three children and a teacher in a Jewish school on March 19, 2012. He was killed during the assault of his appartment by French special police forces on March 21, 2012. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Emmanuel Macron says Sylvain Itte, France’s envoy to Niger Republic, is living like a hostage in the French embassy.

Addressing reporters on Friday, the French president accused the Niger military junta of blocking food deliveries to the mission.

“As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic staff who are literally being held hostage in the French embassy,” he said.

“They are preventing food deliveries,” Macron said, adding that the ambassador “is eating military rations”.

On August 25, Niger’s military junta ordered the French ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours.

The country’s foreign ministry said the decision to expel the ambassador stemmed from his refusal to honour an invitation by the minister of foreign affairs.

The junta added that “other actions by the French government contrary to the interests of Niger” led to the ambassador’s expulsion.

Hours after the expiration of the deadline, Macron applauded Itte for not leaving the country.

Asked if he would work on bringing the ambassador back home, Macron said: “I will do whatever we agree on with President Bazoum because he is the legitimate authority and I speak with him every day.”

Meanwhile, Catherine Colonna, French foreign minister, said Itte is still working.

“The ambassador is working, I can confirm that, and he is very useful through his contacts, his team, there is still a small team with him,” she said in an interview with French TV station LCI.