Niger’s military-led government announced on Monday its decision to withdraw from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), further distancing itself from former colonial ruler France.
“The Nigerien government has independently decided to withdraw Niger from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The move follows Niger’s suspension from the 88-member bloc after a military coup ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023. The OIF had called for a swift return to constitutional rule and demanded Bazoum’s release, but the deposed leader and his wife remain in detention under the junta’s rule.
Since seizing power, Niger’s military leaders have cut ties with France and instead aligned themselves with fellow junta-led governments in Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as Russia. The shift underscores a broader rejection of French influence in the region.
In a symbolic break from its colonial past, Niger also replaced its national anthem shortly before the coup. The new anthem, For the Honour of the Fatherland, reflects the country’s anti-colonial struggle, replacing La Nigérienne, which had been composed by French musician Maurice Albert Thiriet in 1961, a year after Niger gained independence.
Niger’s withdrawal from the Francophonie marks another step in its realignment away from Western influence as the junta continues to reshape the country’s foreign relations.
