Niger Exits International Organization of French-speaking Nations

Niger’s military government has officially withdrawn from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), deepening its break from France, its former colonial power. The move follows the country’s suspension from the 88-member group after last July’s coup, which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The OIF had demanded Bazoum’s release and a return to democratic rule—demands Niger’s junta has ignored, continuing to detain Bazoum and his wife. Niger now aligns itself with fellow military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as Russia, signaling a new geopolitical direction. The decision also reflects Niger’s broader anti-colonial stance, symbolized by replacing its French-penned national anthem with one celebrating the nation’s struggle for independence.

Source: Le Monde