Uncertain fate for US base in Niger

Ahmed Adel

The US is now focused on the fate of its military presence in Niger.

This comes against the backdrop of developments in this African state after the army’s takeover and the ousting of its president, Mohamed Bazoum.

Supporters of the military takeover of the country’s rule started recruiting volunteers in the build-up against possible foreign military intervention, especially by the member states of the Economic Community of West African States.

A few days ago, the community announced the creation of a reserve force to reinstate Bazoum.

Fate of US base

The US established a large drone base in Niger, pouring around $140 million in the construction of this base.

It is located in Agadez, one of the seven regions of Niger. The base is called ‘Air Base 201’, the second largest American base in Africa. It is also the most expensive base in the continent.

Base 201 serves as a major intelligence and surveillance centre where around 1,000 US troops are stationed.

The base is established over 25 square kilometres and hosts a full fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, MQ-9 Reapers and C17 transport aircraft.

It is located near the northern city of Agadez, the main starting point for almost all of Washington’s intelligence and surveillance operations in West Africa.

The activity of the US drone fleet in the region has been suspended, since the Niger coup. This also happened because of the decision of Niger’s Military Council to close the country’s airspace.

American presence in Niger dates back to 2002, when the administration of former US President George W. Bush began the so-called ‘global war on terror’.

Base 201 is a renewed pattern of American air operations.

The location of the base is distinctive because the city of Agadez is located 900 kilometres northeast of the Nigerian capital.

It is close to Chad and northeast Nigeria and is situated halfway between Niamey and Libya, within reach of the transit zones of smugglers between Mali and Libya in the south of Algeria.

This makes the base an ideal place for supporting regional security efforts and intervention in these areas, considered the tensest on the continent.

African affairs specialist, Amira Abdelhalim, said the US base in Niger has the main objective of targeting areas and hotbeds where terrorists are stationed in the Agadez region in central Niger, and in the deep regions of West and North Africa.

“There is reason to believe that the American presence in Niger had a negative impact on the country’s security,” Abdelhalim told The Reference.

“The attacks have escalated significantly since the US began operating in the region,” she added.

Abdelhalim noted that at least five of the leaders of the Military Council of Niger received training at the hands of US military officers.

She indicated that American influence in Niger had not done much to encourage respect for democracy in this African country.