The withdrawal of US forces from Niger does mark the end of the bilateral relationship, but the two sides will further negotiate the future of their partnership, a senior US military official said on Sunday.
"The [Niger] military representatives especially were keen to keep opportunities open for future engagements, and we're looking forward to future dialogues," the official told reporters, adding: "They thought it was important to emphasize that they did not see this as the closing of the relationship, but that a new relationship needed to be negotiated based on what the CNSP, [National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland], desires."
The official emphasized, however, that the CNSP has made clear that it does not want a large presence of foreign forces in Niger.
Moreover, the official noted that the meetings between US and Niger military officials this past week were strictly about the defense relationship and did not involve any talks on trade or diplomatic matters.
A senior US defense official mentioned that US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell is expected to visit Niger in the coming weeks or months for broader talks about the future of US-Niger relations.
The US withdrawal of forces from Niger has been underway for some time, and there are currently less than 1,000 US troops in the country, according to the officials. The United States has not carried out any counterterrorism operations or partnered operations in Niger since the CNSP took control of the government, an official added.
Niger's military is capable of addressing the terrorism threat in the region and continues to disrupt those threats, the official said.
The military pullout was initiated in March after a Nigerien military spokesperson said the country's transitional government, which took power in a coup in July 2023, had terminated the military agreement with the US with immediate effect, citing the interests of the Nigerien people.