Niger has commemorated the first anniversary of the departure of French troops, celebrating what organizers described as “one year of the victory of good over evil.”
A demonstration held on December 23, 2024, was organized by religious associations and the M62 civil society movement. Abdoulaye Seydou, the national coordinator of the event, said the gathering was meant to “commemorate this date and immortalize it.”
“This day symbolizes one year of victory for the Nigerien people in their struggle to expel French colonialist forces,” Seydou declared.
The withdrawal of the last French troops on December 23, 2023, marked the end of over a decade of French military operations in West Africa’s Sahel region, where France had conducted counter-terrorism missions.
Seydou also used the occasion to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, criticizing what he called the “hypocrisy of the international community.” He drew parallels between Niger’s situation and Palestine, arguing that the Western world disregards human rights and democracy.
A Sputnik Africa correspondent reported that Brigadier General Asmane Abdou Harouna extended greetings to attendees on behalf of the president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.
The anniversary serves as both a moment of reflection on Niger’s assertion of sovereignty and a platform for broader critiques of international policies perceived as unjust.