The Nigerien government has formally withdrawn from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) as part of its broader realignment away from Western institutions.
A diplomatic note signed by Laouali Labo, Secretary General of Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the withdrawal was recorded on March 7, 2025, aligning with the country’s post-coup foreign policy shift.
Since seizing power in July 2023, the National Committee for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP), led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, has severed several ties with Western nations. In August 2023, Niger canceled military agreements with France, and in March 2024, it ended its security pact with the United States, prompting the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Agadez base.
Niger’s departure from the OIF follows its withdrawal from ECOWAS in January 2024, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), later formalized into the Confederation of Sahel States (CSS) in July 2024.
This latest move underscores Niger’s strategic pivot toward new alliances, particularly with Russia, and its determination to distance itself from institutions seen as Western-dominated.
