Niger authorities had demanded that the EU ambassador should have been replaced even before he was recalled to Brussels for consultations following criticism from the country's authorities of the distribution of humanitarian aid to victims of recent floods, the foreign ministry of the Western African country said.
"The government came to the conclusion that collaboration with the ambassador of the European Union, Mr. Salvador Pinto Da França, is no longer possible and therefore officially requested his recall and replacement as soon as possible," the statement by the ministry read.
On Friday, Niger accused the EU diplomatic mission of its mismanagement of a 1.3 million euro humanitarian aid package for victims of the recent floods that killed more than 270 people and affected 700,000 in the country. Niamey said the EU ambassador distributed the grant to some international NGOs, bypassing the government.