Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Tuesday met with President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger to strengthen ties with the West African nation, and both leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including how to “encourage timely democratic transitions in Chad, Mali, and Guinea,” as well as the crisis in Sudan, her office said.
Thomas-Greenfield was part of a United Nations Security Council Mission to Africa amid a growing instability on the continent, but the mission had to be cut short following the coup in Sudan. While the President of Chad was killed, the Presidents of Mali and Guinea and the Prime Minister of Sudan were all overthrown by soldiers.
Thomas-Greenfield also met with Niger Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou, Minister of National Defense Alkassoum Indatou, and General Abdou Tarka and President of Niger’s High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace (HACP).
“In her meeting with President Bazoum and Foreign Minister Massaoudou, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield emphasized the United States’ commitment to helping our Nigerien partners protect civilians from violence and terrorism while they work to address the governance and development challenges driving conflict in the Sahel, as well as to combat climate change,” acting spokesperson Jalina Porter said in a statement. “She thanked Niger for its strong partnership in the United Nations Security Council and noted that the United States looks forward to Niger’s presidency of the UNSC and participation in the Summit for Democracy in December.”
“Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield and Minister of National Defense Indatou discussed the strong defense partnership between the United States and Nigerien armed forces, key allies and team members in the fight against violent extremism in Africa. She also thanked Niger for its contribution to UN Peacekeeping forces across Africa,” Porter added.
Porter said in another meeting with General Tarka, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield discussed U.S.-Niger cooperation to protect civilians from violent extremist groups, and “reiterated that the HACP is a critical institution to the improvement of the lives of citizens living in zones of insecurity in Niger, and the prevention of violent extremists from creating divisions among the people of Niger.”
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