German military withdraws 8-year mission from Niger
The last German soldiers stationed in Niger were flown home on Friday. (Photo by Gazali Abdou Tasawa via DW)
The German military has concluded its eight-year mission in Niger, officially withdrawing from the country and surrendering control of a key airbase in the capital, Niamey.
The withdrawal was completed on Friday when a military aircraft transported the last 60 German troops back to Germany.
A second German A400M transport plane carrying equipment was also en route to Germany.
Niamey Airbase handed over amid changing regional alliances
The Niamey Airbase, located on the outskirts of the capital, was staffed by up to 120 German military personnel and was a significant asset in efforts to counter terrorism in West Africa.
However, following unsuccessful negotiations with Nigerien authorities regarding legal immunity for its personnel, Germany agreed to hand over the base in July.
Niger, once viewed as a crucial partner for Western nations combating terrorism in the region, has experienced political upheaval following a military coup on July 26 of last year.
The government in Niamey has increasingly aligned itself with Russia, reflecting a broader trend seen in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Niamey airbase also served as a logistics hub for the United Nations’ MINUSMA peacekeeping mission in Mali, which was established in 2013 and ended last year. Over the years, around 3,200 German troops were deployed to Niamey.
‘A hefty price’
Upon their arrival at Germany’s Wunstorf airbase, the returning troops were welcomed by State Secretary of Defense Nils Hilmer.
Reflecting on the mission, Hilmer remarked that more than 200 German service members lost their lives during the MINUSMA mission and the European Union Training Mission in Mali. He described this toll as “too high a price to pay in view of the limited success at the political level in this region.”
According to the German Defense Ministry, three German troops were killed and 13 others were injured during the MINUSMA mission. Hilmer commended the soldiers for their logistical and operational efforts in executing the redeployment order given in July.
The German base in Niger, which has cost Germany approximately €130 million ($143.7 million) since its inception in 2016, was initially planned to remain operational following the end of the Mali mission. It was seen as a strategic asset for potential evacuation or emergency missions in the region.
Uncertainty surrounds future German military presence in Africa
Germany’s future military role in the region is now uncertain. As Niger has moved closer to Russia, the country has expelled its former partners and allowed Russian military training personnel to be stationed at a base in Niamey.
Germany is in discussions with Senegal to store equipment at an airbase temporarily established there to support the Niger withdrawal.
Operations at the Senegalese base were suspended following the mission’s conclusion.
