France's inability to engage in broad counterterrorism cooperation with Niger would mark a failure of Paris' latest strategy in the Sahel. Since announcing its withdrawal from Mali in February 2022, France's strategy in the Sahel has focused on greater training and intelligence sharing with local militaries. Close cooperation with Niger had become the cornerstone of this strategy, given the Malian and Burkinabe juntas' hostility toward Paris. However, despite the comprehensive support it received from France, the Nigerien military ultimately rallied behind coup leader Abdourahamane Tchiani against Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum following the July 26 putsch. In the absence of a military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Nigerien junta will continue to strengthen its grip on the country by shifting the domestic narrative against France and ECOWAS. The junta's insistence that French troops leave the country suggests that France will likely be compelled to at...
