PARIS, Aug 4, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Niger's ambassador to France on Friday insisted she was still in her post despite the coup in the west African country, saying she remained loyal to detained President Mohamed Bazoum.

Aichatou Boulama Kane, who has been in her job since July 2022, said she rejected as "null and void" an order by the coup leaders to end her mandate as well as those of the Niger ambassadors to Nigeria, Togo and the United States.

"I am still the ambassador of legitimate President Mohamed Bazoum and I consider myself as such," she said in a telephone interview with AFP.
The notification by putschists to put an end to her mandate "was taken by illegitimate authorities. I am the ambassador of Niger in France," she added.

She said she had received the notification from the coup leaders "by letter", with the putschists designating a charge d'affaires to replace her -- the first counsellor of the Niger embassy in France.

"I told the first counsellor that I reject this decision," she said.
"I am currently in my office; President Bazoum called me yesterday to tell me 'go to your office, you have my confidence and we will continue the work'," she added.

Bazoum, 63, has been detained with his family in his presidential residence since the day of the putsch on July 26.

In a column in The Washington Post Thursday -- his first lengthy statement since his detention -- Bazoum described himself as a "hostage" and said if successful the coup will have "devastating consequences for our country, our region and the entire world".

He called on "the US government and the entire international community to help us restore our constitutional order."

Aichatou Boulama Kane also denounced a decision by the coup leaders to cut military cooperation with France as "illegal", saying it "showed their intention to force France to pull out of Niger". 

She said that military cooperation between France and Niger had been "going very well" in the fight against jihadism in the Sahel and any withdrawal of France's 1,500 troop contingent would be a "grave step back for our country in terms of security".

The junta announced late Thursday that it was scrapping military pacts between Niger and France, citing the former ruler's "careless" attitude and its reaction to the situation.